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Chana Aloo Indian Chickpea and Potato Curry

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 chana aloo, a chickpea and potato curry served with red onion.

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.

I even have completely made-up dishes like my minced beef and potato curry, sweet potato and chickpea curry, carrot and chickpea curry and chickpea and red lentil curry.

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!

Overhead chana aloo, an Indian chickpea and potato curry served with red onion.

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.

Do 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 would still be delicious. I would personally use mustard oil.

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.

Chana aloo, a chickpea and potato curry with Indian influences.

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.

Close up chana aloo, an Indian chickpea and potato curry served with red onion.

Equipment Used

I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that they will make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to as them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Medium (20cm or 8″) saucepan.
  • 28cm or 11″ frying pan.
  • Sieve or colander.
  • Chopping board.
  • Sharp kitchen knife.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
Chana aloo, an Indian chickpea and potato curry served with red onion and fresh coriander.
Yield: 2 Servings

Indian Chana Aloo Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This chickpea and potato curry, or chana aloo is my quicker take on a delicious Indian vegetarian curry that is easy to convert to vegan if you wish.

Ingredients

  • 300g (1½ Cups) Baby New Potatoes
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 250g (1⅔ Cup) Onion
  • 1 Tbsp Ghee
  • 6 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 Green Chilli Peppers
  • 8-10 Curry Leaves
  • 1 Tbsp Chickpea (Gram) Flour
  • 150g (1 medium) Tomato
  • 1 Tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 Tsp Black Mustard Seeds
  • ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
  • ½ Tsp Ground Coriander
  • ½ Tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • ½ Tsp Ground Tumeric
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
  • 400g (14oz) Tin Chickpeas
  • 50g (⅓ Cup) Raisins

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium (20cm or 8") saucepan of water to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
  2. Cut the potatoes into 1.5-2cm (½"¾") pieces and cook them in the boiling water for 15 minutes.
  3. Cut the onion in half and peel it, then cut it into 1cm (½") thick half-moon shapes.
  4. 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.
  5. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them as finely as you can.
  6. Cut the chilli Peppers in half lengthways.
  7. After 15 minutes drain the water from the potatoes reserving 75ml (⅓ Cup) of the cooking water. Let the potatoes steam dry for 2-3 minutes
  8. Add the garlic, chillies and curry leaves to the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
  9. Add the potatoes to the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  10. Cut the tomato into a 1cm dice and add it to the pan followed by all of the spices, gram flour and fenugreek leaves. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
  11. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the pan with the raisins and reserved water from cooking the potatoes. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low then cook for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 715Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1229mgCarbohydrates: 131gFiber: 25gSugar: 34gProtein: 27g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

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