Chana masala

About the dish

Chana masala, or chole, is a dish of chickpeas in a spiced onion and tomato gravy from North India and Pakistan, especially the Punjab. Chana means chickpea. It is everyday food and street food, eaten with rice, flatbreads or the puffed fried bread bhatura.

The flavor is built in the masala. Onions are cooked down in oil until deep golden, then ginger, garlic and green chili go in, then ground spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric, then tomatoes, all cooked until the mixture darkens and the oil separates at the edges. The cooked chickpeas simmer in it until the gravy thickens; mashing a few helps.

Many versions add a sour note with amchur, dried green mango powder, or anardana, dried pomegranate seeds, and some cooks boil the chickpeas with a tea bag to darken them. Garam masala, a warm blend that often includes cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, usually goes in near the end so its aroma stays bright. The finished dish is savory and tangy, with gentle heat and an earthy depth from the chickpeas.

Written from general cooking knowledge, as background on a dish from the game’s recipe book. It is not a tested recipe.

The flavors it leans on

• Savory
• Sour
• Heat