The BEST Chana paneer masala recipe! It’s incredibly flavorful thanks to vibrant, slightly creamy, and spicy onion-tomato gravy with boiled chickpeas and delicate paneer. A must-try chole paneer recipe for chickpea lovers!
❤️ About This Chana Paneer Recipe
Taste & Texture:
- Medium fiery (Adjustable)
- A hint of creaminess (thanks to heavy whipping cream)
- Balanced flavors (meaning not as well tangy, not too sweet)
- Soft & succulent paneer pieces
- Perfectly cooked, soft chickpeas
Makes a filling, comfort food: When this chole paneer is served with a bowl of rice or any Indian bread, it makes a solid, tummy-filling meal.
This chana paneer masala makes the culminate of weeknight supper. Remains make next-day lunch. Such a time saver!
🧾 Ingredient Notes
To make this chana paneer recipe, you’ll require fundamental and mostly Indian pantry staple ingredients.
- Chickpeas: I continuously favor utilizing dry chickpeas (that I soak overnight and boil in a pressure cooker – Instant Pot). But of course, you can utilize canned chickpeas instep. And that will cut down a few prep time and cook time.
- Paneer: It is accessible in the frozen area or the dairy area of Indian grocery stores. Once in a while, I make hand-crafted paneer, but for comfort, I mostly utilize store-bought.
- TIP: Keep the paneer 3d shapes in warm water until you are prepared to utilize them. This way paneer absorbs some water and gets to be delicate. Skip this if using a hand crafted one.
- Whole spices & Teabag: cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms, dark cardamom, and teabag are included while boiling the chana. The flavors include a nice aromatic flavor to the chickpeas, while teabag makes them darker in color.
- Red onions: If it’s not too much trouble utilize ruddy onions (Yellow or white won’t include that nice flavor in Indian curry recipes).
- Ginger Garlic: I have naturally grated ginger, and garlic here. You can use readymade ginger garlic paste here.
- Tomatoes: Continuously use ready tomatoes. Unripe tomatoes make the gravy sour.
- TIP: When it comes to Indian gravy dishes, I highly suggest using Roma tomatoes. Stay away from the beefsteaks or wine-ripe tomatoes that make sour gravy.
- Spice powders: You’ll require basics like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder.
- Amchur (Dried mango powder): It includes a nice tang to this chana paneer recipe.
- Kasoori methi: Continuously crush kasoori methi between your palm some time recently adding it to the sauce to release its flavor and aroma.
- TIP: In some cases because of moisture or humid weather, kasoori methi gets soft and doesn’t crush. If so toast kasoori methi in the microwave or in the container on the stovetop for a few minutes. Let it cool down totally and now you can crush it easily.
- Garam masala: You can use homemade garam masala or ready-made one. Continuously add garam masala at the end to hold its flavor and aroma.
- Heavy whipping cream: Here in the USA, I utilize overwhelming whipping cream (which has 35-40% fat substance). In India, my mother uses the Amul new cream and it gives a great result. Or you can utilize malai that is collected from the top of the boiled drain. If using that then fair include a splash of milk in malai and whisk it till smooth and runny, then include in the recipe.
👩🍳 How To Make Chana Paneer Recipe? (Pics)
Soaking, Boiling Chickpeas:
1) Wash the dried chickpeas under running cold water until the water runs clear. Or rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.
2) Then soak in sufficient water (2 inches over) for at least 8 hours or overnight. Did you disregard to drench ahead of time? No stresses check out my quick soaking method in the notes below.
3) Presently dispose of the drenching water, and take doused chana and freshwater in the weight cooker. Include entire flavors (cinnamon, dark cardamoms) and teabag.
4) Cover the cooker with the cover, put the weight on, and cook for 1 whistle on High + 20 minutes On Low. Let the pressure go down naturally, then open the lid. Discard the tea pack and spices.
– Cook in instant pot: takes around 10-15 minutes (see the details here – Instant pot chickpeas)
Making Chana Paneer (Chole Paneer Recipe):
1, 2) Heat the oil in a dish on medium heat. Once hot include chopped onions and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process. Cook until they turn soft and translucent or light pink in color.
- 4) Then include ginger, garlic glue. Saute for 30-40 seconds or until the crude scent of ginger-garlic goes away.
5) Add pureed tomato and slit green chili.
6, 7) While it is simmering, it may splutter a lot, so mostly cover it with a lid and proceed cooking. Do stir in between to make sure that sauce is not sticking to the pan.
8) Cook until most of the moisture from the puree evaporates and becomes a thick paste.
9, 10) Include remaining salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Blend and cook for a minute. You’ll see the oil is oozing out from the sides.
11) Include boiled chana (along with its boiling water). Note: If the boiled chickpeas have too much water then do not include all. Fair add sufficient to make a gravy consistency.
12) Mix everything well and let it stew for 7-8 minutes so the chole has enough time to absorb the masala flavor.
13) Add garam masala, amchur, and smashed kasoori methi. Blend well.
14) Add cubed paneer and blend. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
15) Add overwhelming whipping cream and cook until the blend begins stewing again.
16) Turn off the stove and finally decorate with crisply chopped cilantro and your chana paneer is prepared to serve.
💭 Expert Tips For Chana Paneer Recipe
Quick Dousing Strategy for chickpeas: Take washed chana and bounty of water in a pan. Turn the warm on Tall and let it come to a bubble and at that point proceed bubbling for 5 minutes. At that point turn off the stove. Cover the container with the cover and let it rest for 1 hour. When you take a see at chana after 1 hour, they will be the same as overnight soaked.
If you are utilizing canned chickpeas, then no need to pressure cook them. But you require to rinse canned chickpeas. Also, the entirety flavors we included in the pressure cooker (skip the teabag), include those into the hot oil and then include onions and continue.
🥣 Storage Instructions
- Chana paneer tastes even better the next day as the spices have time to blend and create an intense flavor. So always make a double or triple batch and store leftovers.
- In the refrigerator, chana paneer stays great for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- In the freezer, chole paneer stays great for up to 3 months in a freeze-safe container. I suggest freezing in small portions and defrost as needed.
🍽 Serving Ideas For Chole Paneer
- Meal idea 1: Serve chana paneer with plain rice or jeera rice. Have kachumber salad or Indian onion salad and a glass of chaas on the side to make a complete meal.
- Meal idea 2: Enjoy chana paneer with any Indian bread like paratha, roti, or poori with a side of mango pickle or Indian onion serving of mixed greens (aka pyaaz laccha). You can have it with garlic naan too but naan is not an everyday kind of bread. It is eaten on a special occasion or once in a while only.