Step 1 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Scrape the ginger with a paring knife to remove peel. Slice ginger into 1/8-inch coins. Smash with the back (the spine) of a chef's knife to get it nicely broken up. Add to blender.
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Step 2 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Cut jalapeño in half lengthwise, cut out core, and remove seeds. Roughly chop the chili. Smash the garlic. Add garlic and chili to the blender. Pulse a few times to chop, scraping down sides of blender as needed.
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Step 3 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Roughly chop the onion. Add onion to blender and pulse several more times until mixture is finely chopped, scraping down sides of blender as needed.
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Step 4 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high. Add onion mixture and salt. Saute until onion is soft, fragrant, and beginning to turn golden but not brown, about 15 minutes.
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Step 5 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Add garam masala, cumin, and coriander and saute gently until spices are very fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Step 6 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Add the tomatoes and their juices. With a wooden spoon, break tomatoes into smaller pieces.
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Step 7 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Add chickpeas and hot sauce to skillet. Cover, adjust heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Step 8 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Chop the cilantro. Remove lid from skillet and add half of the cilantro, reserving the other half for the next step. Keep simmering, uncovered, until liquid has reduced and mixture is nicely stew-like, another 10 minutes.
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Step 9 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Add the reserved cilantro and the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, hot sauce, or lemon juice to taste.
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Step 10 of 10
Easy Indian Chana Masala
Spoon chana masala into bowls and top with cilantro. Serve with naan and rice. Chana masala can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.