Chana Masala
One of my favorite Indian curry dishes is homemade Chana Masala. It is a popular spiced chick pea dish that can be found at all Indian restaurants in many variations.
Chickpeas are all the rave these days but this particular ingredient has been most commonly used in South Asian cooking as either a thickening or binding agent for years back. I personally think the perfect Chana Masala recipe relies on how the chick peas are cooked. In this recipe you will note the Chana (chickpeas) is cooked well. Overcooked to be precise.
This helps ensure a thicker gravy.
Chana Masala has a great tang, spice, and tummy filling comfort zone that is perfect for those meatless days. I like to pair it with PURI, rice, or homemade paratha, but you can try it with a healthy tortilla, brown rice, or quinoa.
If you are looking for the perfect white rice recipe, then check out my post here.
What kind of chick peas to use
TIP: The Instant Pot is a great gadget to quickly make whole dried chickpeas using the “bean and stew” button, but if you are crunching on time then use a can or frozen; just be sure to rinse them well to drain all excess sodium :). Either case, I highly recommend you boil/steam the chick peas before putting them into the spice mixture (see recipe below) and then mashing it in the pot. I also like to add spinach to mine sometimes just to add some healthy greens, but you can skip it.
Love surti food? Then try these….
- Surati Khaman Dhokla Recipe
- Bharela Marcha - Stuffed Bullet Chillies
- New Year’s Black Eyed Peas
Step-by-Step Instructions
Happy Eating Folks! <3
Chana Masala Recipe
📖 Recipe
Chana Masala
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 cups well steamed/boiled chick peas
- ▢ 1 medium finely diced, fresh tomato
- ▢ 1 medium finely diced, onion
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric (powder or fresh)
- ▢ 2 teaspoon fresh coriander powder (optional)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chana masala/chole chana masala (garam masala can be substituted)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh garlic (about 2 cloves)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon finely fresh grated ginger (about half a thumb size)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ▢ ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
- ▢ ½ cup water
- ▢ 2 cups finely chopped baby spinach (optional)
- ▢ 6 whole peppercorns (optional)
- ▢ salt
- ▢ red chili powder
- ▢ finely chopped cilantro for garnishment
- ▢ oil
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan heat oil and add peppercorns (optional). Immediately add the chopped onions and cook until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, red chili powder, dry coriander powder, ginger, garlic, masala, and turmeric. Cook until tomatoes no longer have any water.
- Add tomato paste and mix well. THEN add water. When the water is added after the paste has been mixed it, you will find it easier to combine the water into the dish.
- Stir in the chick peas, baby spinach, and salt. Mash about half of the chick peas with a masher. I add salt at the end to prevent over or under measurement (I add ½ tablespoon but please add according to your salt tolerance level).
- Stir in heavy whipping cream (optional).
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium/high heat stirring frequently.
- Top with cilantro.
- Serve with one of the following starches-white/brown rice, quinoa, naan, paratha, or roti; and add an onion salad + lemon wedge to the final dish.
- ENJOY!
Chana Masala
Ingredients
- 2 cups well steamed/boiled chick peas
- 1 medium finely diced, fresh tomato
- 1 medium finely diced, onion
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (powder or fresh)
- 2 teaspoon fresh coriander powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chana masala/chole chana masala (garam masala can be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon finely fresh grated ginger (about half a thumb size)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups finely chopped baby spinach (optional)
- 6 whole peppercorns (optional)
- salt
- red chili powder
- finely chopped cilantro for garnishment
- oil
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan heat oil and add peppercorns (optional). Immediately add the chopped onions and cook until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, red chili powder, dry coriander powder, ginger, garlic, masala, and turmeric. Cook until tomatoes no longer have any water.
- Add tomato paste and mix well. THEN add water. When the water is added after the paste has been mixed it, you will find it easier to combine the water into the dish.
- Stir in the chick peas, baby spinach, and salt. Mash about half of the chick peas with a masher. I add salt at the end to prevent over or under measurement (I add ½ tablespoon but please add according to your salt tolerance level).
- Stir in heavy whipping cream (optional).
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium/high heat stirring frequently.
- Top with cilantro.
- Serve with one of the following starches-white/brown rice, quinoa, naan, paratha, or roti; and add an onion salad + lemon wedge to the final dish.
- ENJOY!
Recipe Courtesy of The Curry Mommy
Wine Pot Roast
Are you ready for a super easy recipe? That’s exactly what this recipe is! I have a vegan and beef recipe posted below to please all food loving beings. Oh and this recipe is not spicy-AT ALL! In fact, it’s so easy you pretty much just dump, set, and go. In other words, I put everything in the Instant Pot, set a timer, and walk out of the door (or spend time with my kids!) How awesome is it that you can tell this magical machine to make dinner at a certain time leaving you with a hot and ready meal when you get home? It’s a gift from the unknown, really! This is a perfect meal for those busy errand days AND it’s my version of broccoli and beef + pot roast combined in one meal !
Mom life is real and finding time to make healthy meals is a challenge if you ask me. Kids have soccer, baseball, basketball, dance, swimming, etc… There is just no time to get home and make dinner, am I right? I like to use my Instant Pot on those days.
Now, I’ve always enjoyed a great pot roast ever since I was a kid, and I also enjoy broccoli and beef. So when I combined this recipe to host both dishes in one, it kind of made me feel accomplished . Then again, the Instant Pot changed my life by making the super long pot roast process much shorter. No dutch oven or long hours needed here-just an Instant Pot. Actually, I don’t even know how this would turn out in the oven or stove to be honest with you. I bought an Instant Pot almost 4 years ago and this was one of the things I’ve made since then. With some added onions and garlic… the end result is TASTY!
TIP: I have not tried this recipe with chicken so I can not guaranteed the end result.
In fact, I only make a handful of chicken recipes in the Instant Pot. Remember, hard to please tastebuds over here…OOPS. Honest reviews only! I think some chicken variations get chewy in the Instant Pot or it ends up tasting like chicken (you know what I mean when I say this, right?). So yah, I haven’t tasted it with chicken. Therefore, I can’t guarantee amazing end results. Try it with mushrooms only though if you really must eliminate the beef. I personally like it with mushrooms and beef together. But both independently taste great as well.
Enjoy <3 and let me know how you like it. I love hearing from you!
Happy Eating, Folks!
📖 Recipe
Wine Pot Roast with Mushrooms
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 large chopped portobello mushrooms
- ▢ 1 finely diced, onion
- ▢ 2 bouillon cubes (no broth)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
- ▢ ¼ cup red wine
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sorghum flour dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water (use corn-starch as an alternative)
- ▢ 4 cups steamed broccoli
- ▢ ¼ cup water
- ▢ salt (I use unsalted bouillon, but taste test before adding)
Instructions
- Put everything in the Instant Pot except broccoli and sorghum flour mixture.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual 10 minutes high pressure.
- Once the pot is done cooking, let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes before opening with quick release.
- Open the lid and set the Instant Pot to Saute mode.
- Add broccoli and sorghum mixture.
- Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Serve! You can serve this as is, with mashed potatoes, caulimash, or rice.
📖 Recipe
Wine Pot Roast with Beef & Mushrooms
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 lb beef stew meat
- ▢ 1 large chopped portobello mushroom
- ▢ 1 finely diced, onion
- ▢ 2 bouillon cubes (no broth)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh grated garlic
- ▢ ½ cup red wine
- ▢ ½ cup water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sorghum flour dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (use corn starch as an alternative)
- ▢ 4 cups steamed broccoli
- ▢ salt (taste test before adding)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients except the broccoli and sorghum flour mixture in the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to beef/stew mode.
- Once the pot is done cooking, let it cool down for 20 minutes before doing a quick release and then open the lid.
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode.
- Pour the sorghum mixture and broccoli into the pot and stir.
- Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, caulimash, rice, or as is.
- Enjoy!
