This chana aloo masala is an easy vegetarian curry that pairs with your favorite roti or rice for a perfect comfort meal.
Chana Aloo Masala literally translates to “Chickpea Potato Spices”. Those are all the ingredients in this simple, yet comforting classic curry.
We enjoy this chana aloo masala on any day of the week. It is a perfect dish if you’re looking for a vegetarian dish, or just trying to cut down on your meat intake. There is so much flavor packed into this curry, that you will not miss the meat at all!
This chana aloo masala is delicious as a curry on its own, but it is even more delicious as part of the classic Pakistani Brunch, Halwa Puri. Halwa Puri is a classic Pakistani breakfast of a combination platter made up of this chana aloo masala, a sweet semolina pudding, and hot and fresh fried puris!
If you’re looking for more easy Pakistani / Indian recipes, here are some of our favorites:
- Aloo Palak: Potato and Spinach Curry
- Gobi 65: Cauliflower in Chili-Garlic Sauce
- Keema Aloo: Ground Beef & Potato Curry
- Karahi Chicken: Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients for Chana Aloo Masala
- Potatoes – Any type of potatoes will work with this recipe. Typically, white or yellow potatoes are used. The time it takes to cook will depend on the type of potatoes you use.
- Chickpeas – Using canned chickpeas makes this recipe quicker. You can also leave out the chickpeas if you prefer potato curry.
- Spices – there is a long list of spices, but they each have a function in this recipe for a classic tangy taste. Here are some of the spices that really amp up the flavor for this Chana Aloo Masala.
- Dried Mango powder (amchur) – a fruity ground spice made with raw/unripe mangoes and gives the dish a tangy taste. It is often available at Asian markets, or on Amazon. We love to use it in other classic recipes like Aloo Paratha and Dal Puri
- Kalonji / Nigella Seeds – these add an earthy, toasted onion-like taste to this curry.
Tips for Chana Aloo Masala
- Grind the whole spices using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. You want the spices to be crushed, not ground to a fine powder.
- Make sure to cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Once the curry is ready, use a fork to mash some of the potatoes to make a thicker, textured gravy.
- This is a great standalone curry perfect for lunch or dinner. Or you can serve it as part of the classic Pakistani brunch of Halwa Puri.
If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess
Aloo Chana Masala
Ingredients
- 2 Potatoes large
- 1 cup chickpeas canned or cooked separately
- Salt as per taste
- 1-2 Green chili chopped optional
- 1 Tomato chopped
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Aloo Chana Masala Spices
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- ¼-½ teaspoon Red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon Fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Ajwain /Carom seeds, whole
- 2-4 Black pepper whole
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek dried leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds optional
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¼- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Nigella Seeds (Kalonji) leave as whole seeds
- 1 teaspoon Mango powder
Instructions
- Grind together the whole spices using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. You want the spices to be crushed, not ground to a fine powder.
- Then, add in the ground spices – garlic powder, turmeric powder, and amchur/mango powder as well as the nigella seeds (kalonji).
- Wash and cut potatoes into slices.
- In a medium pot, add together, (1 cup) of water, potatoes, along with chickpeas and tomato (if using). Then add in the spice blend.
- Cook for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Once cooked add in 2 tablespoons of oil, and mash some of the potatoes to make a thicker gravy.