History
Chana masala arrived in Manchester with the Pakistani migrants who shaped Wilmslow Road's Curry Mile from the 1970s. This and That on Soap Street has served it as one of the three rotating curries in the rice-and-three lineup since 1984; today it's the most-ordered plate at the counter. Manchester's vegan crowd adopted it; Bundobust and Lily's keep the Gujarati and Punjabi variants alive across the city's vegetarian rooms.
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Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 tins chickpeas, drained
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2cm ginger, grated
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- Vegetable oil
- Fresh coriander, lemon juice
Method
- Heat oil and soften the onions in a deep pan for 8 minutes until golden.
- Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes. Add all the dry spices and toast 30 seconds.
- Pour in the tomatoes, simmer 10 minutes until thick. Add the chickpeas and 200ml water; simmer 15 minutes.
- Stir in garam masala, finish with chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with pilau rice or naan.
Tip from the editors. Don't drain the chickpea liquid into the pan; the starch thickens too fast and dulls the spice.
Where to eat chana masala
Chana masala in Manchester
This and That ★ 4.8
Manchester's original rice-and-three canteen on Soap Street since 1984. The Northern Quarter late-night pre-bar fuel until 19:00 daily, under ten pounds.
TryRice and three curry
Lily's Vegetarian Indian Cuisine ★ 4.7
P G and Lilawati Sachdev opened Lily's in 1972; pure vegetarian, family-run, packed with Manchester regulars. Best Vegetarian 2018 award winner.
OrderThe Lily's thali, a daily-changing tour of Gujarati and Punjabi vegetarian plates.
TipTwenty minutes by tram from Piccadilly; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Bundobust ★ 4.6
Manchester all-vegetarian Indian beer hall on Piccadilly. Vada pav, okra fries, dahl and bhel puri; most plates between five and nine pounds, beers on tap.
TryVada pav and snack plates
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