Chana Masala and Homemade Naan Recipe

Posted on 19 October 2023 in Recipes, Healthy Dinner Recipes, Healthy Student Recipes, Healthy Indian Recipes, Healthy Family Recipes, Healthy Lunch Recipes, Feed 4 for 5

Our fiery chana masala is full of flavour that combines fragrant herbs and spices with a fluffy garlic and coriander naan for a delicious taste.

Originating from India, the word chana means chickpea and the recipe combines these nutritional legumes with onions, tomatoes, and various seasoning to create a meal that’s ideal for a healthy family dinner time or meal prep option!

Containing just 367 calories and 17g of protein per portion, our chana masala and naan provides a balanced meal that’ll help to keep you fuller for longer thanks to it’s generous 14g of fibre and protein content!

It’s delicious, nutritious and will cost just 92p per portion to make the masala and 38p per portion for the naan, so our four serving recipe will set you back a total of just £3.70!

This vegetarian friendly dish takes just 10 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to cook away, plus you'll only need one pot for the masala which makes the washing up quick and easy!

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

For the chana masala you will need:

  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled
  • 2 green chillies, sliced
  • Low calorie oil spray
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 600g tinned chickpeas, drained
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 100g spinach
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ½ bunch of fresh coriander, torn

For the naan you will need:

  • 110g self-raising flour
  • 115g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tbsp light unsalted butter
  • Fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

  1. Start by blending the onions, garlic, ginger, and chillies until combined.
  2. Next, heat a deep dish pan with a generous amount of low-calorie oil spray.
  3. Add the onion mixture and sauté for 6-8 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Now sprinkle over the spices and stir well before cooking off for 2 minutes adding a dash of water if needed.
  5. Pour over the chopped tomatoes and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
  6. Next, add the chickpeas and vegetable stock and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring regularly until the chickpeas are cooked through and the sauce begins to thicken.
  7. Whilst the chana masala bubbles away, start to make the naan.
  8. Mix the flour, yoghurt and salt in a bowl and bring together using your hands.
  9. Divide the mixture into 4 dough balls and use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten each ball onto a floured surface to make a naan bread shape.
  10. Now heat a non-stick frying pan on a high heat and add the naan bread, cooking for 2-3 minutes each side. Repeat this step until all naan breads are cooked.
  11. Next, melt the butter and mix through the crushed garlic.
  12. Brush the garlic butter over each cooked naan bread and sprinkle over fresh coriander.
  13. Now stir the spinach and lemon juice through the chana masala and heat for a final minute.
  14. Top the masala with freshly torn coriander, a swirl of yoghurt (optional) and serve with the garlic and coriander naan.
  15. Enjoy!

If you're after some more vegetarian friendly mealtime inspiration, why not check out our vegan slow cooker chilli recipe, or if you're looking to whip up some more Indian dishes, check out our healthy Indian recipes!