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How to Make Instant Pot® Chana Masala - A Step-by-Step Guide

Chana masala is a popular Indian dish made with chickpeas cooked in a spiced tomato-based sauce. It's a hearty and flavorful vegetarian dish that is perfect for a cozy meal at home. While traditional chana masala can take some time to prepare, we've come up with a quicker and easier recipe that can be made in the Instant Pot®. This Instant Pot® chana masala is just as delicious as the traditional version, but it takes a fraction of the time to make.

Using the Instant Pot® to make chan...

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown basmati rice
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, minced
  • 1 green Thai chile, minced (Optional)
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins
  • Additional Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
  • Servings: 5
  • Yield: 5 servings

  • Rinse rice in plenty of cold water. Put into a small, oven-safe dish that will fit inside a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Cover with water and set aside.
  • Combine cumin seeds, amchur, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, pepper, and ground cayenne in a small bowl for the spice mix. Set aside.
  • Pour chickpeas into the cooker and cover with 2 cups cold water. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
  • Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 10 minutes. Manually release any remaining pressure, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Remove the chickpeas, reserving cooking liquid.
  • Place oil in the pot and select Saute function. Add onion, carrot, and bay leaf; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in spice mix, garlic, ginger, Thai chile, and 1/4 cup of the reserved chickpea liquid; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cancel Saute function.
  • Mix in chickpeas and remaining liquid, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Place a trivet inside.
  • Drain rice and return to the dish. Cover with 1 1/4 cups fresh water. Place the dish on top of the trivet. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 25 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
  • Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
  • Carefully lift out the rice; fluff with a fork. Remove the trivet and bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to blend just a small amount of chickpeas to create a creamy texture, 2 to 3 pulses on high speed.
  • Evenly distribute rice and chana masala among 5 plates. Top with chopped cilantro.

    • Nutrition

    228 cal.

    • Total Fat: 5g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Sodium: 29mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 42g
    • Dietary Fiber: 6g
    • Total Sugars: 6g
    • Protein: 7g
    • Vitamin C: 10mg
    • Calcium: 54mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 338mg

    Categories

    Main recipes
    Vegetarian recipes
    Indian recipes
    Instant pot recipes
    Pressure cooker recipes