Chana aloo, my quick version of a delicious meat-free Indian "curry" that uses tinned chickpeas & waxy new potatoes cooked in fragrant spices.
Using canned chickpeas means that this dish takes a shade over 30 minutes to cook. Bolt-on 10 minutes of prep and you have a delicious mid-week dinner packed with flavour.
Indian Influenced Chickpea and Potato Curry
I have an unashamed obsession with potatoes in Indian dishes... to be fair, I have a bit of a spud obsession full stop!
This delicious chana aloo recipe joins other well-known Indian dishes like saag aloo and aloo methi, as well as less well-known dishes like Bangladeshi chanar dalna or aloo paneer and Punjabi Dum Aloo.
This recipe is designed to be a much quicker version of the classic chole masala, with the obvious addition of potatoes.
It is the sort of dish I cook from the pantry; all of the ingredients are the sort of thing that I always have at home.
It will go from your cupboard to your table in around 40-45 minutes, and that includes all of the prep work!
This recipe is also really versatile; it will work just as well as a side dish as it does a main!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh chickpeas?
Yes, absolutely, I have designed this dish to be a quick recipe, but you can cook whole chickpeas in the same way I do in my chole masala.
You could also cook chickpeas in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker without soaking them.
Does the type of potatoes really matter?
Yes and no, this dish would be tasty with any type of potato. I prefer new potatoes because I think the texture works better here.
If you use floury potatoes, they will break down a little more in the sauce. It will still be as tasty as a tasty thing, though!
Can I use dried curry leaves?
Personally speaking, I would rather leave them out because they have very little flavour.
You should be able to get fresh at any decent Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi store, and they freeze perfectly. I use frozen ALL of the time.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes, just swap the ghee for oil; it will change how "rich" the dish feels, but it will still be delicious. I would personally use mustard oil, heat it to the smoking point, then cool it a little before adding the onions.
Can I cook this in advance?
Yes, this is fine left in the fridge for 4-5 days, and the flavour will improve with time.
You may need to add a splash of water when reheating. I personally would not freeze it, as it has a detrimental impact on the texture of both the chickpeas and potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
As far as I am concerned, a curry, even a "dry curry", needs flatbread. I have a weakness for tandoori-style naan bread, but I think that chapatis or roti fit this chana aloo recipe better.
Rice also makes a nice addition to this dish. I'm fond of plainly cooked rice, but pilau rice is superb if you are putting in the effort.
Whilst I usually eat this as a vegetarian main, it also works wonderfully as a side dish.
It is particularly good with fish, everything from my whole tandoori fish to salmon tikka and even my Mackerel curry.
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that they will make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Medium (20cm or 8") saucepan.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Sieve or colander.
- Chopping board.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Indian Chana Aloo Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Baby New Potatoes 1½ Cups
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Onion 250g
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Green Chilli Peppers
- 8-10 Curry Leaves
- 1 tablespoon Chickpea Flour 1 tablespoon Gram Flour
- 1 Medium Tomato 150g
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Ground Coriander
- ½ teaspoon Ground Tumeric
- 400 g Tin Chickpeas 14oz
- 50 g Raisins ⅓ Cup
- 1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
Instructions
- Bring a medium (20cm or 8") saucepan of water to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Cut the potatoes into 1.5-2cm (½"¾") pieces and cook them in the boiling water for 15 minutes.
- Cut the onion in half and peel it, then cut it into 1cm (½") thick half-moon shapes.
- Heat a 28cm (11") frying pan over a medium heat and add the ghee, followed by the sliced onions, and cook them for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice them as finely as you can.
- Cut the chilli Peppers in half lengthways.
- After 15 minutes, drain the water from the potatoes, reserving 125ml (½ Cup) of the cooking water. Let the potatoes steam dry for 2-3 minutes
- Add the garlic, chillies, and curry leaves to the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Cut the tomato into a 1cm dice and add it to the pan, followed by all of the spices (DO NOT ADD THE FENUGREEK AT THIS POINT), and gram flour. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the pan with the raisins and reserved water from cooking the potatoes (now is a good time to taste and add more salt if required). Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low, then cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, crush in the dried fenugreek, stir and serve.
