A simple potato and chickpea curry that is moreish and satisfying and perfect for the days when time is tight, but you don't want to compromise on flavour. Delicious the day of, but even better after, great for weeknights or meal prep!
🔍 Quick Look: Aloo Chana Recipe | Pakistani Aloo Chole with Potatoes & Chickpeas
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 35 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 2-4
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- Key to Success: Adjusting the consistency and then the seasoning for that perfect for you balance!
"This turned out so good and it was easy to make! Thank you for sharing!- S"
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Aloo Chana Recipe | Pakistani Aloo Chole with Potatoes & Chickpeas
- What is Aloo Cholay?
- Why I make this ALL the time ( and you should too!)
- Ingredients: What makes this dish sing
- How to Make Aloo Chana: A Step by Step Guide
- Fellow Chana (Chickpea Fan? YAY!
- Most Asked Chana Aloo Curry Questions
- What do I serve with Aloo Chana?
- Aloo Chana Masala or Aloo Chole Recipe (Potatoes & Chickpea Curry)
- Comments
What is Aloo Cholay?
This Aloo Chana or Cholay Aloo is a Pakistani and Indian potato and chickpeas dish which leans towards a curry or salan in both flavours and technique. It is like a chana masala but bolstered with creamy potatoes. The classic onion tomato base is easy and familiar and it's subtle flavour notes (hello nigella seeds!) elevate it in a quick easy way. It is pantry friendly and incredibly wholesome.
If you are looking for the classic Pakistani nashta version then that's right over here.
Why I make this ALL the time ( and you should too!)
- It's pantry friendly meaning I usually have the ingredients!
- It's a great meatless dish that still feels wholesome and filling
- It comes together quick and a chunk of the cook time is hands off
- It is easily customizable so it's been with us from the toddler years to the teen years without skipping a beat
- It keeps well so you'll have leftovers you look forward to!
Ingredients: What makes this dish sing
Simple ingredients right? Here are the three I think are SO key in getting this to be wipe-your-plate-clean good!
- Chickpeas - I really love the smaller south asian variety of chickpeas. canned here for convenience but if you prep your own more power to you. That said I don't always have the desi variety handy and so I use a small pinch of baking soda to help the heftier ones along and they turn out beautifully tender and YUM.
- Nigella seeds - there is an incredible savory umami like quality that their flavour brings to any dish so they are a must here IMHO.
- Potatoes - the creaminess of yellow fleshed or yukon gold potatoes will forever have my heart.
How to Make Aloo Chana: A Step by Step Guide
Before you start here are my favorite time saving tips for the comfortable cook:
- Preheat your pan on medium heat and then chop your onions
- Chop your tomatoes while the onions brown
- Chop your potatoes and rinse your chickpeas while the tomato masala cooks down.
- Heat the seeds and whole spices in a pan until aromatic.
2. Add your onions and saute until the edges on at least half turn amber.
3. In with your ginger and garlic for a quick saute
4. Now add your spices and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add your tomatoes and saute until they look like this
6. Now add in your chickpeas, potatoes and water and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
7. Adjust consistency, seasoning, garnish, and serve!
Fellow Chana (Chickpea Fan? YAY!
We are chickpeas afficianados around here and if you are too then here are some other options!
- Chole for Poori - similar to this dish but sans potatoes and tomatoes resulting in a breakfast dish that has punchy flavours but less depth than this cholay aloo recipe. The original recipe for this iteration also lived on this post, but since it had it's own fan following it has it's own home 🙂
- Our easy Chana Chaat - a mix and serve recipe that is lovely but not necessarily a traditional lunch or dinner recipe.
- Chana Pulao with beautiful ginger notes
- Murgh Cholay or Chicken Chana, an incredibly satisfying chicken and chickpea curry.
Most Asked Chana Aloo Curry Questions
While nothing beats a stovetop reheat you can absolutely microwave these for convenience, just remember to add a splash of hot water before doing so if it's thickened!
Unfortunately not! They don't do the same thing here, but if you have the time then simply simmer the chickpeas longer to soften them.
While you can certainly freeze this dish the potatoes can become a little chalky on the thaw. Nothing deal breaking, but just an important note to know.
For a milder curry halve the chili powder or use kashmiri chili powder. For spicier I would add another ½-1 tsp of chili flakes early on and a generous spoon of garam masala at the end!
What do I serve with Aloo Chana?
This dish is absolutely lovely on it's own, but I hear you on the menu building so let's go!
Tried this recipe? Please rate it below and if you make it then tag me on instagram @flourandspiceblog - I'd love to see your recreation!
Aloo Chana Masala or Aloo Chole Recipe (Potatoes & Chickpea Curry)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (from one 540ml can)
- 1 cup potatoes cut into ½ cm thick pieces 130-150g, 2 small or 1 big
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tomatoes finely diced 120-140g or 1.5 cup-ish
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 4 black peppers
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 inch ginger (grated) or 2 tsp ginger paste
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 ½ - 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda (optional, see notes!)
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- ½-1 tsp garam masala (optional)
- as many green chillies as you can eat - I used 4-5 thinly sliced
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large saucepan or wok on medium high heat and add cumin seeds, cloves, peppers, and kalonji. The seeds will sputter and smell amazing
- Add onions and fry till the edges are caramelly but not brown.
- Now add the ginger and garlic, stir for a minute then add the rest of your dry spices i.e. coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Saute for 30 seconds then throw in the chopped tomatoes, cook till 'bhunn' i.e masalas form a cohesive paste and oil rises above them.tip: to make this faster simply cover the pan, keeping it on med-high heat, for 2 minutes.
- Now add your chickpeas, potatoes. Stir well, then add one cup of hot water and cover your pan. Bring the mixture to a boil then let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
- Mash the potatoes and chickpeas slightly with the back of a large spoon to create a thicker gravy. Adjust consistency for your liking. Taste for SALT - you may need to add more.
- Then top with cilantro, chillies, garam masala if you wish, and serve with plain yoghurt, achar and hot roti or paratha. Yum.
Notes
- petite south asian chickpeas have the best flavour or texture (as do any that are prepped at home), but if the sturdier standard canned ones are all you can find then simply add a very small pinch of baking soda in with the chickpeas to help them tenderize and help the spice flavour the chickpeas.
- serves 2-3 as a main and 4 as a side!
- if your can has less than 2 cups do not worry about it, you will still end up with a delicious dish!
Susan says
Thank you, Sarah, for these simple yet awesome recipes. It's indeed a gastronomic delight. I would suggest it would be nice if you could mention the quantity of the ingredients in grams. For example, the quantity of chickpeas mentioned in the above recipe is "one can". Not every one needs to buy canned or tinned chickpeas. Thank you, once again for sharing these recipes and keep up the good work.
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
That's such a good point Susan! Thank you for your kind works and the suggestion - editing the recipe now!
Fatima says
How much baking soda?
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
I am SO SO sorry I missed this but a small pinch, 1/4 tsp-ish I'd say. Will update the post 🙂
Mariam says
Assalam-u-Alaikum!
I tried this recipe yesterday and it was delicious. My family loved it. Thanks for such a fool proof recipe.
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Thanks so much Mariam!!! Am thrilled that you guys liked it and thanks so much for taking the time to let me know - totally appreciate it!
Petesdragon says
Why do people comment on a recipe before trying it? What's the point? I'd like to know if others have tried the recipe and how it turned out for them to help me decide whether to try it myself. Commenting that it looks yummy is totally useless. Just saying...
sarahjmir says
I used to wonder that myself 🙂 Then I realize when you actually start blogging the feedback/encouragement actually means a lot. Looks yummy is a compliment I am happy to take, of course tastes amazing would be even better!
bristol plasterers says
This sounds lovely. Going to give this a go. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
sarahjmir says
please do! would love to hear how this turns out!
Kamana@SocialandStyle says
Thank you for such an easy to follow and tasty recipe!
banglesandbungalows says
I love aloo puri! My mom usually cooks it so this is a great go-to recipe for doing it on my own 🙂
xx Yasmin
http://banglesandbungalows.com
sarahjmir says
Hi Yasmin! thanks for stopping by 🙂
Carrie says
Yum! That looks spicy and delicious. Getting food in the car in the market (pani puri and rolled paratha) was one of the first things we ate on my first trip, it was such a fun experience!
radhikasethi says
Your Boat Basin memories have taken me into my own "Boat Basin" days! Lovely post and so looking forward to try this version of cholle! It's my hubby's fav. 🙂
sarahjmir says
aww thank you!!! hope he enjoys it as much as we do!
Namrata says
alu choley is classic north Indian curry. Have fond memories of this aromatic dish:)
Traditionally Modern Food says
Choley looks super yum:-)lovely clicks
sarahjmir says
Thanks so much!
Aruna Panangipally says
I love Aloo Choley! I have never used Kalonji in Choley and will certainly do the next time. 🙂
love in the kitchen says
I love your description of the boat basin and the food there. What a great memory. The cholay does look SO delicious.
This Cake is Desi says
Ohh I have so many memories of boat basin, we used to stop by there every time I went to my in-laws. The cholay look awesome:)
Nandini says
My husband loves Choley 🙂 . This looks so yummy!