Indian Potato and Chickpea Curry (Chana Aloo)

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A comforting Indian vegan curry made with chickpeas and potatoes simmered in spiced tomato gravy. Naturally thick and flavorful without using any cream or coconut milk, perfect with rice or roti.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Author Sravanthi Chanda

Ingredients

3 cups chickpeas cooked ( around two 15 oz cans)
2 cups potato around 300gms
1 cup tomato finely chopped or pureed
½ cup onion finely chopped
2 cups water
1 teaspoon garlic grated
1 teaspoon ginger grated
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves dried fenugreek leaves, optional
¼ cup mint leaves or cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

Start the Instant Pot in saute mode.
Once it is hot, add oil and chopped onions, bay leaf, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Sauté the aromatics for a couple of minutes.
½ cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 bay leaf
Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften a bit.
1 cup tomato
Now add all the spice powders - red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix everything well.
½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt
Add the potatoes and stir well so the spices coat them evenly.
2 cups potato
Add chickpeas, then pour in chickpea cooking water or plain water, and mix well.
3 cups chickpeas , 2 cups water
Cancel sauté mode, close the lid, and cook on Manual / Pressure Cook (High) for 5 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot finishes cooking, wait for 5 to 10 minutes, and manually release the pressure.
Stir in kasuri methi and chopped mint or cilantro, then mix well. With the back of a spoon, slightly mash a few potatoes to thicken the curry.
1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves or cilantro
Adjust salt, and the delicious Instant Pot Chana Aloo is ready to serve.

Stovetop Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf and chopped onions. Add grated ginger and garlic. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
½ cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon ginger
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.
1 cup tomato
Add salt and all the dry spices, and mix them well.
½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt
Add cubed potatoes and mix well to coat with the masala.
2 cups potato
Pour in water (or chickpea water) and let the potatoes cook until soft. I cooked for around 10 minutes.
2 cups water
Add cooked chickpeas and simmer on low for 15 to 10 minutes.
3 cups chickpeas
Gently crush some potatoes with the back of a spoon to thicken the curry naturally.
Sprinkle kasuri methi and chopped mint or cilantro. Simmer for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves or cilantro
Adjust the consistency as needed; this curry thickens as it cools.

Notes

Tested Tips from My Kitchen

Always use cooked chickpeas; raw or soaked won't cook through with tomatoes.
Use chickpea cooking water to thicken naturally instead of cream. And reduce the salt at the beginning, as it already contains salt from boiling chickpeas.
Slow simmering helps potatoes soften and release starch, creating a creamy curry.
Adjust the spice level with chili flakes or omit the green chili for a milder flavor.
Instead of these spice powders, you can use curry powder, but the curry's flavor will change accordingly.
If using my Curry Sauce as a base, skip the aromatics and tomatoes and replace them with 1 cup of curry sauce. Skip the salt initially and add after tasting.

Nutrition