Instant Pot Chana Masala Recipe
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This Instant Pot Chana Masala Recipe is the lip-smackingly delicious recipe for infamous Delhi Style PUNJABI CHHOLE. Detailed recipe is given to cook these in Instant Pot or Traditional Pressure Cooker.
A small video clip is also attached for better understanding. Read the complete post for many tips and tricks to cook Indian Restaurant Style Chickpeas Curry at home. It is best enjoyed with warm Naan or Rice. The best part is that it is completely VEGAN and GLUTENFREE.
Instant Pot Chana Masala Recipe / Delhi Style Punjabi Chhole / Indian Chickpeas Curry
Chana Masala or Chhole as we simply call it in my house, is a family favorite. It has passed down from my father-in-law to my DH Amit and then to my older one Aanya. They literally go week in their knees at the mention of this PUNJABI CHHOLE (Chickpeas Curry).
If you ask me then there is no better way to enjoy Chana Masala more than this spicy, and tangy version from the North.
I still remember when I got married and came to stay at my husband’s home in Delhi, Chhole Bhature was the regular feat for weekend Brunch. We stayed near the Delhi University Campus and there were tonnes of popular Chhole Bhature dhabas (diners) around.
The most popular were Chache di Hatti and Bille di Hatti. Hatti means place or dhaba or diner. I had to stand in a long line to place an order for the family. This ritual was followed religiously, almost every weekend. When we moved to USA in 2001, I think we missed Chhole Bhature the most amongst all the comfort foods.
For the longest time, I used to bring that special Chhole/Chana Masala from India to get the same taste. Then at one point, I discovered a similar recipe for Home Made Chana Masala Spice blend which I improvised and made my own. If you want to make your own home-made Chhole Masala Spice Blend, then CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE.
This CHANA MASALA recipe is absolutely worth SHARING AND BOOKMARKING. If you try this recipe, then give a shout out and Tag us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, and TWITTER. Use the hashtag #simplyvegetarian777 or @simplyvegetarian777 to tag.
This recipe is not a fast cooking recipe and is a labor of love and dedication. It is not a difficult recipe but takes time to cook and simmer for that beautiful texture and perfect flavor profile. That is where cooking Punjabi Chhole or Chana Masala in Instant Pot makes a complete sense.
HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD COOK CHICKPEAS CURRY IN AN INSTANT POT?
I am an Instant Pot Convert from a Hater to Lover? Yes, you got me right. Now I own 2 Instant Pots – 6 quarts 10-in-1 Insta Pot and 3 quarts Duo Mini.
The mini one is used more, as it is perfect for daily cooking for a family of 4-6 people. The 6 quart comes out mainly for party preps or when I am making whole beans, chili or Rice Pulav. Here is why you should also cook in Instant Pot –
- No Baby Sitting or Attending to the Kitchen Gadget is required. You saute, you put the lid and close and set the timer and done.
- The cooking in Instant Pot is ONE POT COOKING.
- It is a MESS FREE Cooking.
- The food preparation and cooking is VERY EFFICIENT and is perfect for busy moms and professionals in today’s day and age.
- It is so SAFE TO USE, that even your teenager can use it like my daughter does.
THESE ARE THE 2 TYPES OF INSTANT POTS THAT I RECOMMEND TO PURCHASE.
- Instant Pot LUX Duo 3 quarts 6-in-1 if you do not want to make yogurt at home. It is the cheapest model and works as well as Mini Duo 3 quarts 7-in-1. The 7-in-1 has yogurt setting added.
- Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 quarts 9-in-1. I am not sure why it is 9-in-1 since it has 14 functions that you can use for cooking including baking. Amazing, right?
I have both the models and use them regularly. My stove top cooking has become minimal. I use my 3 quarts Instant Pot more often for my daily cooking of Instant Pot Vegetarian and Instant Pot Vegan Curries and other Recipes.
How to cook INDIAN CUISINE with EASE?
I have come across many people who love Indian Cuisine but when it comes to cooking Indian Recipes, they get intimidated.
I am going to break it down into some simple and easy tips and tricks for all the people who want to get started to cooking INDIAN at home.
Take Baby steps and then become a pro. It is not that hard. If you cook Pasta Sauce at home then it is as easy as that.
How to cut down the long list of spices and still cook authentic Indian Food
The best way is to skip that long list of SPICES and rather buy a starter pack of READY MADE INDIAN SPICE BLENDS. You can either buy it from the Indian Grocery Store of your town or Order from AMAZON.COM.
You can buy INDIAN CURRY BLEND or the specific Spice Blend like CHANA MASALA in this case. Do not go for Hot blends or Madras or Vindaloo blends since these are spicy.
Go low on heat to begin with. MDH and SHAAN are 2 great brands to shop from if you are going to Indian Store. For a serving of 4 people, stat with 1 tsp to begin with. Add 1/4 tsp more at a time, if needed.
How to control the HEAT OF THE CURRY, if it gets spicy by mistake
It is super simple and easy. You can add either or combination of these to reduce the heat in Indian Curry.
The heat can be reduced by adding either some Sugar or Honey OR Heavy cream OR Coconut Milk OR MILK. Start by adding a little at a time and adjust accordingly. I sometimes add boiled potatoes to bring the heat down.
Some Popular Curries from the Blog
Aloo Akbari and more.
Some other Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes from the Blog
Punjabi Kadhi, and many more.
How to make NO ONION NO GARLIC CHANA MASALA?
It is very simple to make No Onion No Garlic Chana Masala in Instant Pot. You need to skip the onion and garlic in the recipe and add some Chana Dal to add more volume to the curry.
Chana Dal adds more rustic flavor to the chana masala and is a fairly simple way to make the recipe. It actually reduces the sauteeing time also, which otherwise is required to saute onions till browned. Find the no onion no garlic recipe option below in the recipe card.
How to make Chana Masala or Punjabi Chhole Video
This is how to make Chickpeas Curry or Chana Masala or Authentic Punjabi Chhole in Instant Pot
Serve it warm with Bhatura/Chalupa, Mint & Garlic Naan, Restaurant style Rice, Vegetable Pulao. I enjoy it with a slice of rustic bread too.
Chana Masala / Punjabi Chhole / Indian Chickpeas Curry
Ingredients
- 2 cups Chickpeas
- 1 large Onion
- 1-2 Thai Green chili skip it if you want mild curry
- 1 large piece Ginger
- 1 cup Tomato Puree (not paste) or chopped canned tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Cilantro / Coriander leaves chopped fine
- 4 cups Water
OILS & SPICES
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil or Ghee
- 1 Bay leaf dry
- 2 Black Cardamom
- 1 small piece Cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1&1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tbsp Amchur/Dry Mango powder/ Khatai optional
- 1 tbsp Anar Dana powder / Dry pomegranate seeds powder optional
- 1 tbsp or to taste Salt
Instructions
Soaking the Chickpeas
- Soaking the chickpeas is a very important step. Wash the chickpeas under cold water and soak them in 4 cups of water overnight or at least 6 hours. After soaking, they become tender to use and double in size. When ready to use, drain the water and set aside to be used.
MAKE ONION PASTE
- Take a food processor or blender, add coarsely chopped onion, ginger and green chili to it. Make a coarse paste or chop it very fine. Set aside.
COOKING ON SAUTE MODE - THIS STEP WILL BE SAME FOR TRADITIONAL PRESSURE COOKER TOO.
- Place the inner pot inside the Instant Pot and plug it in. Press SAUTE and set it to 30 minutes. Add oil to it when the screen displays HOT. After 2 seconds, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamom and cumin seeds to the pot. Saute for few seconds and then add Onion ginger green chili coarse paste. Now Saute again for few seconds. Cover with a glass lid and let onions cook till slightly brown. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning. It takes about 7-8 minutes in this process.
- Remove the lid and add Tomato Puree to the pot. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt to the onion tomato paste. Give it a good stir. Close again with a lid and let cook for 5 minutes.
- Now take the lid off and add soaked and drained CHICKPEAS to the paste. Give a good stir and add 4 cups of water. Stir again. Check the salt by tasting and adjust accordingly.
- Close the LID OF THE INSTANT POT and set the floating valve to SEALING. Cancel the SAUTE MODE now.
COOKING ON BEAN/CHILI MODE
- Set the MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK MODE on HIGH and set the timer for 45 minutes. This will give you super soft chickpeas/chhole which I like. If you do not want super soft chickpeas, then set the timer for 35 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, follow NPR (natural pressure release) and when the safety pin drops down, carefully open the lid and unplug the Instant Pot. If you are using Mango powder and Pomegranate seeds powder, then add now + cilnatro leaves. If you are not using the optional spices, then just add cilantro leaves. Stir.
- Check for salt and spice level. If needed, add more salt and garam masala for the required heat. You may squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top.
- Serve it warm with Naan and Rice.
TRADITIONAL PRESSURE COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Follow the steps similarly for sauteing in pressure cooker as mentioned above. For pressure cooking, set the weight and after the first whistle blows off or the first steam escapes, lower the heat and simmer for 35 minutes. Switch off the heat. Open when the pressure is released naturally. Add mango powder and pomegranate powder plus herbs. Stir and close again to let sit for 10 minutes to marinate well.
IN CASE YOU WANT TO SKIP THE LONG LIST OF SPICES
- In case you plan to skip the long list of spices mentioned under ingredients, then use just 1 tbsp CURRY POWDER. Taste it and if needed, add 1/2 tsp more at a time till you find your level of heat. If using CHANA MASALA, then start with 1/2 tbsp and increase the level as needed. In this way, you do not have to use any mentioned spices including whole and dry. Add the spice mix after the tomatoes are added. Add salt as mentioned.
No Onion No Garlic Chana Masala in Instant Pot or Stove Top
- For this recipe, You need to skip onions from the ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of Chana Dal (split gram) to the ingredients list instead.
- Soak the chana dal with Chana or Chhole for a minimum of 6 hrs or overnight. Drain the water when ready to use and set aside.
- When ready to make Chana Masala, press saute mode (high) to 15 minutes. When the screen says HOT, add oil in the inner pot of the IP and add all the whole spices as instructed above - cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick. Saute for few seconds.
- Now add chopped tomatoes, ginger and green chili and tomato paste. Add powdered spices now like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix all. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on saute mode till tomatoes look cooked. Now switch off the saute mode.
- Add soaked chana/chhole and chana dal to the pot. Add 4 cups water. Press PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL MODE and set at HIGH/MORE for 30 minutes. Once the timer goes off and safety valve drops down, open the lid carefully. Add Amchur powder and Anardana powder. Give a good stir. COver with lid again and let stand for 10-15 minutes on warm. Serve it warm when ready to eat.
Notes
How to cook INDIAN CUISINE with EASE?
I have come across many people who love Indian Cuisine but when it comes to cooking Indian Recipes, they get intimidated. I am going to break it down into some simple and easy tips and tricks for all the people who want to get started to cooking INDIAN at home. Take Baby steps and then become a pro. It is not that hard. If you cook Pasta Sauce at home then it is as easy as that.How to cut down the long list of spices and still cook authentic Indian Food
The best way is to skip that long list of SPICES and rather buy a starter pack of READY MADE INDIAN SPICE BLENDS. You can either buy it from the Indian Grocery Store of your town or Order from AMAZON.COM. You can buy INDIAN CURRY BLEND or the specific Spice Blend like CHANA MASALA in this case. Do not go for Hot blends or Madras or Vindaloo blends since these are spicy. Go low on heat to begin with. MDH and SHAAN are 2 great brands to shop from if you are going to Indian Store. For a serving of 4 people, stat with 1 tsp to begin with. Add 1/4 tsp more at a time, if needed.How to control the HEAT OF THE CURRY, if it gets spicy by mistake
It is super simple and easy. You can add either or combination of these to reduce the heat in Indian Curry. The heat can be reduced by adding either some Sugar or Honey OR Heavy cream OR Coconut Milk OR MILK. Start by adding a little at a time and adjust accordingly. I sometimes add boiled potatoes to bring the heat down.I am sure that you will be trying this super yumm and delicious recipe soon in your Instant Pot.
Can’t make it Now?⇓ PIN⇓ PUNJABI CHHOLE FOR LATER!
In my Kitchen, you will always EAT HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!
Sonal
I’ve made this recipe twice now in the Instapot. Works perfectly and is truly delicious
Hi 🙂 Thanks for keeping it simple for newbies. Planning to try this out
Could I just half the recipe- half down all the ingredients?
Will cooking time differ for that ?
TIA..
Hi Surbhi – thank you .
Yes you can half the recipe. The timing will stay the same.
I’ve tried many chana masala recipes and this is bar none the best one! I can finally stop looking and just go back to this recipe as my go to chana masala dish. Thank you for sharing!
Awww Nancy you made me so happy today..I am almost teary eyed
Loved this recipe and the chana was perfectly cooked! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been having trouble pinning your recipes. The way I usually do it, is to hover over a picture and then use the Pinterest icon. It tells me the description you’re using exceeds the maximum allowed. I was able to finally pin it using the Pinterest icon under “Share this:”
Dear Priyanka,
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback.
This looks amazing. Is there anything I can substitute the Anar Dana with?
Thank you Claudia :).
Anar Dana is dry pomegranate seeds, used as souring agent in Chana masala. You can skip it and use dry mango powder or just squeeze the juice of a lemon towards the end.
Oh wow, sounds so flavorful. I love chickpeas and I can’t wait to try your recipe.
This looks so delicious.. love the dark rich color you got on the chanas!! Lipsmacking delicious
Thanks my dear
We love channa masala, but I’ve never even tried to make it in the Instant Pot. I will have to try it out!
How delicious does this look? I think it sounds wonderful with the right spices and in one pot? Sold! This is a recipe worth keeping.
I absolutely love Channa Masala! I hate to say I have never made my own. I usually buy it pre-made at the store or order it in restaurants. I will be so happy to have a recipe now!
This sounds like such a comforting dish, so full of flavor! Can’t wait to try it!
I really need get an instant pot if you can make delicious meals like this in it. Loving all the flavours going on
This is one of my favorite dishes, and I’m so glad I can make it in my Instant Pot!
YUM! Adding this recipe to my list. I am in love with my instant pot! Cannot wait to try this!
Oh my goodness, this looks so comforting and delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Wow this looks fantastic. Authentic recipe. Its been a long time. So will make it.
Thank you Roxana! Keep me posted if you do 🙂
Yummy …mouthwatering dhabha style chole
Thank you Sangeetadi!