Name: Chickpea Chana Masala with Crispy Fried Onions
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp ghee, or neutral oil, divided; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 bay leaf; 1 yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp ginger, grated, plus more thin-sliced to finish; 2 tomatoes, finely chopped, or 14 oz canned crushed; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp garam masala; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ½ tsp cayenne; 1 tsp amchur, or 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved; 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ cup thinly sliced onion, for frying; To finish cilantro, chopped

Chickpea Chana Masala with Crispy Fried Onions

Chickpeas simmered in a tomato-onion masala cooked until the oil separates, finished with a fistful of deep-fried onion for crunch.

Serves

Prep

15 min

Cook

40 min

Written

August 20, 2026

Ingredients

3 tbsp ghee, or neutral oil, divided

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1 yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, grated, plus more thin-sliced to finish

2 tomatoes, finely chopped, or 14 oz canned crushed

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp cayenne

1 tsp amchur, or 1 tbsp lemon juice

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ cup thinly sliced onion, for frying

To finish cilantro, chopped

Method

Warm 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and fry until the seeds sizzle and smell toasted, about 30 seconds.

Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until deeply browned at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and grated ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and amchur. Cook, mashing the tomatoes against the pan, until the mixture darkens and the oil starts to separate at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, ½ cup of their reserved liquid, and the salt. Simmer, mashing a few chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce, until it clings to the chickpeas rather than pools, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, until deep brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes, then drain on a paper towel.

Taste the chana for salt, then top with the fried onion, sliced ginger, and cilantro before serving.

Notes

Don’t rush the two browning steps — the diced onion needs real color before the tomatoes go in, and the tomato-spice paste needs to actually split and darken, not just heat through. That’s the whole flavor of the dish; a pale masala tastes like canned tomatoes with cumin in it.

Amchur (dried mango powder) is what gives chana masala its characteristic tang without adding liquid; lemon juice stirred in at the end gets close if you don’t have it. Serve with rice or skillet naan — the fried onion on top is worth the extra pan.