Chana Masala with Coconut Milk

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5 from 7 votes

This flavorful chana masala is an easy weeknight dinner with warm spices and a creamy coconut milk tomato base.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: servings

Calories: 509kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion diced
1 teaspoon ginger minced
4 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
Pinch pepper
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles*
2 15 oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup water
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk shaken/stirred to combine
1 teaspoon garam masala

Optional Toppings

fresh lemon juice
cilantro

Optional Sides

basmati rice
garlic naan

Instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven, add oil and heat over medium heat.
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Add cumin seeds and toast for 3 minutes until fragrant. Careful to not let them burn.
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
Add in onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for another 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
1 medium onion, 1 teaspoon ginger, 4 cloves garlic
Add in all the spices except garam masala. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until spices are fragrant.
½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon turmeric, Pinch pepper
Add in diced tomatoes, chickpeas, baking powder and water. Bring to a boil. Then turn down to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles*, 2 15 oz cans chickpeas, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ cup water
Remove lid and with the back of a wooden spoon smash some of the chickpeas. They should be somewhat soft.
Add in coconut milk and garam masala. Stir until combined.
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk, 1 teaspoon garam masala
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve in a shallow bowl over rice with naan. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top or sprinkle with cilantro (Optional)

Notes

What is the purpose of adding baking powder?

This helps break down the pectin in the beans and softens the chickpeas.

Substitutions:

- Cumin seeds: You can use cumin powder in place of cumin seeds. Since the powder is more concentrated in flavor, use 2 teaspoon cumin powder for 1 tablespoon cumin seeds.

- Diced tomatoes with green chiles: If you don't like it spicy use regular diced tomatoes.

Storage:

Refrigerator: Store in container for up to 5 days. Reheat either in the microwave for 1 minute or on the stovetop for 5-7 minutes.

Freeze: Store in container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat let defrost in the fridge for at 24 hours before reheating.

Calorie count disclaimer: Naturallie Plant-Based offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Naturallie Plant-Based attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Nutrition