Garam Masala and Chickpeas Masala

I’ve been seeing recipe videos probably for around 7-8 years now. I’ve always wondered how does the actual recipe taste? Whether I’ve got the taste right and the proportions, does it taste just like the original? These are questions that have always been running in my head!  I had initially considered making a recipe with only the masala’s I make. Then I decided to make it and a recipe using it. So you can get the most authentic taste possible. The Garam Masala recipe is amazing, it can be used both in Summer and Winter. The ingredients aren’t too hard to find. It takes only 10 minutes to make. The taste is very homemade, I’ve made it keeping in mind that it shouldn’t be spicy, but it should pack a lot of flavour. 
Homemade Garam Masala
Now the Chenna Masala or Chickpeas Masala does take a little time, but it is worth all the effort. You need to buy the dry kind for this recipe, the canned version doesn’t work well for this recipe. Soaking it overnight is necessary, this helps in making them big in size. The ingredients for this recipe are fairly common and easy to come by. Having a pressure cooker for this is ideal, boiling this will take a lot of time. Cooking time is only about 20 minutes for this!  The Chickpeas curry goes along famously with a Puri, it can be had with a roti or chapati and with rice and dal as a side dish as well. Those of you who are comfortable using garlic can add it along with the onions and ginger. Eat it when it is hot!  [recipe_card]

Garam Masala and Chickpeas Masala

Now the Chenna Masala or Chickpeas Masala does take a little time, but it is worth all the effort. You need to buy the dry kind for this recipe, the canned version doesn’t work well for this recipe. Soaking it overnight is necessary, this helps in making them big in size. The ingredients for this recipe are fairly common and easy to come by. Having a pressure cooker for this is ideal, boiling this will take a lot of time. Cooking time is only about 20 minutes for this! 
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Soaking Time 6 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6
Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Garam Masala

  • 1 cup dhaniya or coriander
  • 1/2 cup jeera or cumin
  • 1/4 cup pepper
  • 5-6 elaichi or cardamom
  • 2 black cardamom
  • 3 Cloves or Lavanga
  • 1 inch Dalchini or Cinnamon
  • 1/2 a nutmeg or jaikai
  • 1/2 Mace
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 Stone Flower
  • 1 teaspoon fennel or saunf
  • Optionally you can add 2 Bay Leaf 1 tablespoon Shahi Jeera or Black Cumin Seeds

For Chole Masala or Chickpeas

  • 400 grams of Chenna or Chickpeas overnight
  • 2 Tej Patha or Bay Leaf
  • 4 lavanga or cloves
  • A small piece of dalchini or cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of tea powder in a small piece of muslin cloth
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Haldi or Turmeric
  • Half a litre of water to this
  • 4-5 tablespoons of oil
  • 2 diced onions
  • 1 inch diced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • If you can handle spicy food you can add 1/4 teaspoon chilli or paprika powder
  • 1 tablespoon of the freshly prepared Garam Masala
  • 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds powder
  • 1 teaspoon Aamchoor or Raw Mango Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Kasuri Methi or dried Fenugreek Leaves
  • Handful of Coriander leaves
  • 1 more tablespoon of fresh garam masala
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • For Garnishing handful of fresh coriander or cilantro thinly sliced tomato and onion and julienned ginger and lemon juice

Instructions
 

Steps for making Homemade Garam Masala

  • Heat a deep pan or kadai without any oil
  • Next add half a cup of jeera or cumin seeds
  • Next add 1/4 cup black pepper
  • Keep stirring for a while
  • Next add 3 cloves or lavanga
  • Add 1 whole star anise
  • Next add 1 inch of cinnamon or dalchini
  • Add 2 whole black cardamom and mix again
  • Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or saunf and mix
  • Next add half a nutmeg or jaikai and mix
  • Next add 1 inch of stone flower and mix
  • Next add half a mace or javatri and mix
  • Next add 5 green cardamom’s or elaichi and mix
  • Roast all the ingredients until you get a warm aroma, do not let it burn
  • Transfer to plate and let it cool
  • Grate the nutmeg when it is warm to touch, this enhances it taste
  • After it is cool, put it in a blender and make it into a fine powder
  • Mix using a spoon, before transferring into a jar, the Garam Masala is now ready!

Steps for making Chole or Chenna Masala or Chickpeas Masala

  • Soak 400 grams of Chenna or Chickpeas overnight. Remove any excess water and wash again
  • In a deep bowl add the soaked Chenna or chickpeas
  • To this add 2 Tej Patha or Bay Leaf
  • Add 4 lavanga or cloves
  • Add a small piece of dalchini or cinnamon
  • Add 1 teaspoon of tea powder in a small piece of muslin cloth, tie it and add it
  • Add 1/4 teaspoon of Haldi or Turmeric
  • Add half a litre of water to this
  • Add sufficient amount of water in a pressure cooker. Cook with the weight on for 6 minutes to cook soft
  • While it is cooking, chop 1 inch ginger, 2 onions finely diced and chop 2 tomatoes finely
  • Let the pressure cooker cool down completely and the pressure release, take the deep bowl out
  • First, take the potli or tea bag out
  • Drain the water in another dish and keep aside
  • In a deep pot or kadai add 4-5 tablespoons of oil
  • After the oil is hot, add 2 diced onions and stir it
  • Add 1 inch diced ginger, let the onions go translucent in colour
  • Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and then salt and mix
  • Next add 2 cut tomatoes to this,
  • If you can handle spicy food, you can add 1/4 teaspoon chilli or paprika powder
  • Next add 1 tablespoon of the freshly prepared Garam Masala
  • Now, add some of the cooked chenna or chickpeas water to this and mix
  • Add 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds powder
  • Add 1 teaspoon Aamchoor or Raw Mango Powder and mix
  • Cook until the tomatoes go soft, you can use a nonstick masher to blend all these together
  • Next add 1 teaspoon of Kasuri Methi or dried Fenugreek Leaves and Coriander leaves
  • Now, add the cooked chenna or chickpeas and mix all the ingredients
  • Add some more of the cooked chenna or chickpeas water
  • Put the heat to high and then cover the pot or kadai
  • Add 1 more tablespoon of fresh garam masala
  • Add juice of half a lemon
  • Add salt per taste and mix again
  • Put the heat to high and then cover the pot or kadai again, let all the water get consumed
  • Garnish it with a lot of fresh coriander or cilantro
  • Serve in a bowl, garnish it with thinly sliced tomato and onion and julienned ginger
  • Add some more coriander, squeeze juice of half a lemon
Keyword chenna, chole, garam masala, indian curry recipe, indian masala