Chana masala (chickpea curry) with rice

Type: Main meal — heavier · Typical slot: Lunch (also dinner) · Time: 35 min (instant pot) · Lunch-friendly: yes (reheats better day 2) · Batch: yes (keeps 4 days; an excellent Sunday big-batch curry)

North Indian chana masala — chickpeas simmered in an onion–tomato bhuna masala, finished with the signature sour-tangy note from amchur (dried mango powder). Vegetarian, high-fibre, and — like rajma — one of the most batch-friendly curries in the book: no dairy in the base, so nothing splits, it freezes well, and it tastes better on day 2. No coconut — fits Harshitha’s preference by default. A near-sibling to rajma; rotate between them so no single legume curry repeats week to week.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 250g dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) or 2 × 400g cans, drained (~480g)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil or ghee (30g)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 large onions, finely chopped (~300g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 25g fresh ginger, grated (+ a little julienned to finish)
• 2 green chilies, slit (optional)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tomatoes, chopped (~350g) or 1 × 400g crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (colour, mild heat)
• 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder) — the signature tang; or finish with a squeeze of lemon
• 1 tsp garam masala (added at the end)
• Salt, cilantro to finish
• Rice: 280g basmati uncooked → ~840g cooked. Split per serving: 220g G / 110g H.

Method

1. Chickpeas. If using dried: pressure cook soaked chickpeas with 750ml water + ½ tsp salt, 25 min + natural release (until fully soft — firm chickpeas won’t absorb the masala). If using canned, skip.
2. Temper. Heat oil in a heavy pot. Add cumin seeds, 20 sec until fragrant.
3. Onions. Add onions, 8 min until deep golden (this browning is where the flavour lives — don’t rush it). Add garlic, grated ginger, green chilies, 1 min.
4. Dry spices + tomato. Add coriander, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, 30 sec. Add tomato paste + tomatoes, cook 6–7 min until the masala thickens and oil beads at the edges.
5. Simmer. Add chickpeas + ~250ml of their cooking liquid (or water). Simmer 12–15 min, mashing a few chickpeas against the side to thicken the gravy.
6. Finish. Off heat, stir in amchur (or lemon), garam masala, salt, cilantro, and the julienned ginger. Rest 10 min. Cook rice while it simmers.

Macros (per person, per serving — with rice)

Portion split (what to weigh per person)

Notes

• Carb-forward, not protein-dense (it’s chickpeas — a touch higher protein and fat than kidney beans, but still bean-based). Pair with a boiled egg stirred in, a yogurt side, or a skyr snack on the day if you want to hit protein — the week plan does this. Great fuel for H’s gym days.
• An excellent Sunday big-batch curry: no dairy in the base → no splitting, freezes well, improves overnight. Scale 1.5× (6 servings) for a batch.
• Fully cook the chickpeas. Firm chana won’t drink up the masala. When done they should crush easily.
• Amchur is the signature. It gives chana masala its sour-tangy edge; if you don’t have it, a squeeze of lemon at the end (or ½ tsp tamarind at step 4) does the job.