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Channa Peshwari (Chickpea Masala)

Chickpeas, known as channa, are an essential ingredient in Indian cooking. They have a distinctive nutty flavour and taste absolutely delicious when combined with spices. A great staple for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, this dish uses wonderfully aromatic flavours such as cardamom, ginger, lime, cumin and coriander - and of course the heady flavours of our Rogan Josh Spice Paste.

2 out of 3 Difficulty
2 out of 3 spice levels Medium
2h 40m Preparation

Ingredients

Serves 4 people

  • 275g dried chickpeas (or 2 tins of drained chickpeas to save time)
  • 2 teabags
  • 2 black cardamom pods (optional)
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 green chilli, chopped (optional)
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Patak’s Rogan Josh Spice Paste
  • 3 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
  • 2 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • Pinch of sugar

Method

  1. If cooking your own chickpeas, soak them in a bowl with the teabags and two litres of water. Cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes or more.
  2. Remove the tea bags and boil the chickpeas in the liquid, adding the black cardamom pods, green cardamom pods and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 1-2 hours, or until the chickpeas are soft and cooked through. Skim off any scum that has formed on the surface during cooking. Drain the chickpeas and keep the cooking liquid.
  3. If you are using canned chickpeas, infuse a teabag in 300ml of water and set aside for later.
  4. Discard the whole spices. In a pan, heat the oil on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle add the onions. Sauté until they are light brown, then add the garlic, ginger and green chilli (if using).
  5. Stir in Patak’s Rogan Josh Spice Paste. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan then add approx 150 ml of your cooking liquid.
  6. After three minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and sugar and cook for five minutes before adding the cooked chickpeas. (If using canned chickpeas, add them here along with some of the tea-infused liquid.)
  7. Add 150 ml of the cooking liquid, cover and cook for a further ten minutes before checking the seasoning. Remove from the heat, stir in the yoghurt and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve with naan bread or chappatis, with mango chutney and pappadums to accompany.
  • Serves 4 people

    • 275g dried chickpeas (or 2 tins of drained chickpeas to save time)
    • 2 teabags
    • 2 black cardamom pods (optional)
    • 5 green cardamom pods
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
    • 2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
    • 1/2 green chilli, chopped (optional)
    • 1 large onion finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp Patak’s Rogan Josh Spice Paste
    • 3 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
    • 2 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
    • Juice of half a lime
    • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
    • Pinch of sugar
    1. If cooking your own chickpeas, soak them in a bowl with the teabags and two litres of water. Cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes or more.
    2. Remove the tea bags and boil the chickpeas in the liquid, adding the black cardamom pods, green cardamom pods and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 1-2 hours, or until the chickpeas are soft and cooked through. Skim off any scum that has formed on the surface during cooking. Drain the chickpeas and keep the cooking liquid.
    3. If you are using canned chickpeas, infuse a teabag in 300ml of water and set aside for later.
    4. Discard the whole spices. In a pan, heat the oil on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle add the onions. Sauté until they are light brown, then add the garlic, ginger and green chilli (if using).
    5. Stir in Patak’s Rogan Josh Spice Paste. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan then add approx 150 ml of your cooking liquid.
    6. After three minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and sugar and cook for five minutes before adding the cooked chickpeas. (If using canned chickpeas, add them here along with some of the tea-infused liquid.)
    7. Add 150 ml of the cooking liquid, cover and cook for a further ten minutes before checking the seasoning. Remove from the heat, stir in the yoghurt and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve with naan bread or chappatis, with mango chutney and pappadums to accompany.