Chana Masala with Coconut Milk

Name: Chana Masala with Coconut Milk
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas ((2 x 400 g)); 400 ml coconut milk; 2 small onions; 3 garlic cloves; 1 cm ginger; 4 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp coriander; 1 tsp cumin; 2 tsp garam masala; 1/4 tsp salt

Posted: Mar 26, 2020 · Updated: Apr 6, 2020 by Tonje

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Chana masala is a creamy Indian style chickpea curry. This version with coconut milk is mild, flavorful and oh so delicious.

Chana masala, rice and naan bread in a bowl.

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🥘 Ingredients
🔪 Instructions
💭 Top tips
🥗 Serving suggestions
🍲 Leftovers
📋 Frequently asked questions
More curry recipes
Recipe

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Curry is practically the national dish of the UK, and many families enjoy them on a weekly basis. Chana masala is a cheap vegetarian curry made out of pantry essentials and spices, and one of my personal favorites. This recipe adds coconut milk, which gives the dish a lovely creamy consistency.

🥘 Ingredients

For this recipe you will need canned or boiled chickpeas, coconut milk, onion, garlic and ginger.

Additionally we use tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika and garam masala as the main spice blend. You can substitute these with a curry paste if you prefer.

This chana masala is very mild and totally kid approved. Add some cayenne pepper or chili powder if you prefer a spicy chickpea curry!

🔪 Instructions

Finely dice the onion, garlic and ginger. Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat, then sautee the diced vegetables for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent.

Add the spices and tomato paste to the onions. Stir to combine, and sautee for 2 minutes. This allows the flavors to really develop. Add the chickpeas, and allow them to cook with the seasoning for another minute.

Chickpeas in a pot with tomato paste and spices.

Then, add the coconut milk. Leave the curry to simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve it immediately while it's hot.

💭 Top tips

Here are some of my best tips to get this recipe perfect:

Don't rush through the process of sauteeing the tomato paste and spices. This is what really brings out the flavor!
I highly recommend using full fat coconut milk. The reduced fat version is not as creamy.
Don't have all the spices listed? You can substitute curry paste for the tomato paste and spices!

🥗 Serving suggestions

Curries are full of flavor, and are often served with a range of mild side dishes. Serve it with rice, naan bread, pappadoms and chutneys for the perfect curry meal.

Chana masala in a wooden bowl with rice in the background.

🍲 Leftovers

Leftover chana masala can be stored in the fridge for 5 days, or frozen for 3 months. Reheat the leftovers and serve them warm.

📋 Frequently asked questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly? - Yes! This recipe is free from all common allergens. It is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free and nut free.

Is this vegan? - Absolutely. Chana masala is a completely vegan recipe.

Can I replace the chickpeas in this dish? - Curries are easy to adapt to suit your preferences. You can replace the chickpeas with anything you'd like. Try using tofu, paneer, vegetables or lentils instead.