Chikar Cholay (Lahori Chana Masala)

Name: Chikar Cholay (Lahori Chana Masala)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2½ cups chickpeas (dried (500 g)); 1 tsp baking soda (for soaking); 1 tsp salt (for boiling the chickpeas); 1 cup oil; 1/2 tbsp garlic paste; 1/2 tbsp ginger paste; 1 onion (crushed); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp black pepper powder; 1 small boiled potato (for the thickening paste); 1/2 cup boiled chickpeas (for the thickening paste); 3 cinnamon sticks; 3 black cardamoms (lightly crushed); 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tsp chicken powder (or 1 chicken stock cube); 1 tsp mango powder (amchur — optional, skip if you can't find it); 1/2 cup yogurt; 3 cups reserved chickpea cooking water; 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves); 3 green chillies (finely chopped); Fresh coriander (finely chopped (a little))

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:40min

Restaurant-style Chikar Cholay at home — soft chickpeas in a thick, rich masala gravy, the Lahori way. My boiled potato and chickpea paste makes the gravy thick without any flour.

Updated at: Sat, 31 Oct 2026 16:59:26 GMT