coriandercrushed black pepper, onion rings, sweet date chutney - to serve
Instructions
Place garlic, ginger, chilli, onion and water in the jug of a blender. Process until smooth.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium. Add bay leaves, black cardamom, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon. Sauté for a few seconds. Add onion paste. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the paste starts to turn a shade warmer.
Add ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, cardamom, garam masala and salt. Add 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the curry base starts to smell fragrant and the onion paste is completely cooked (and the raw onion smell has disappeared).
Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, chickpeas, chat masala/amchoor and water. Simmer uncovered on medium-low for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Optionally, in the last few minutes of cooking, add a teabag to the curry and allow to steep for 1-2 minutes. Remove and discard teabag.
Remove from heat. Check and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, sliced onion, black pepper and serve hot with roti, rice or bread.
Notes
* pomegranate molasses can be sourced from specialty delis and grocers. It is a thick sweet and sour pomegranate concentrate that adds that delicious traditional flavour to the chana masala. Anar daana (dried pomegranate seeds) are more commonly used in India instead of molasses. If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, you can use tamarind paste or aged balsamic vinegar or even a good squeeze of lime. It is to add a bit of acidity and sourness to round the flavour of the curry.** amchooris dried mango powder. It is used in North Indian recipes to add that distinct sour pungent street-flavour to the dishes. The ideal substitute is chat masala which is more readily available at supermarkets and Indian grocers.a note on cooking the raw onion - It is very important to cook the onion paste in steps 2 and 3 of the recipe till the onion is no longer raw. When you have cooked the paste with spices for at least 12-15 minutes, the paste starts to release oil around the edges and no longer smells raw. This is a good indication of the paste having cooked to perfection (think of caramelized onion for an analogy). Another way of testing is to taste a little teaspoon of the cooked paste. It shouldn't feel crunchy or raw in your mouth.a note on using a teabag - If you are going to use a teabag in step 4, make sure you don't steep the tea bag for more than 1-2 minutes as you will run the risk of making your chana masala slightly bitter. This is a completely optional step and can be omitted. Use a lighter black tea like English breakfast.Freezing - The chana masala freezes really well and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I often make a double batch during meal prep and freeze half of it in containers for emergency dinners.Serving Suggestion - Traditionally, chana masala is served with some sweet and sour date chutney at Indian restaurants. The date chutney adds a lovely sweetness and tones down the spiciness in the curry. Plain Greek yoghurt is also excellent as an accompaniment for tempering down the heat.