The aroma of a rich and spicy gravy masala wafting through the air, making its way into your senses, is sure to get your mouth watering. Among the many popular dishes, chana masala and tikka masala are equally tantalizing to the tastebuds. Read on to know about chana masala vs tikka masala.
What is Chana Masala?
Chana masala is a hearty, saucy chickpea and tomato Indian dish with warming spices. If you’re wondering whether this is the same as chole, read chana masala vs chole and find out.
Chana masala is a popular Punjabi main course dish served on a daily basis at restaurants.
Yet another interesting dish is chana peshawari. Read into chana peshawari vs chana masala and know the difference.
Want to know how to make chana masala? You’ll need onion, ginger, garlic, and several good-for-you spices, including coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Here’s a video showing the method of preparation.
What is Tikka Masala?
This is a dish that’s rich in spices and made of chunks of meat and/or pieces of vegetables, often made with a spicy marinade.
Chana Masala vs Tikka Masala: Origins
Chana masala originated in the Northern parts of India, where it remains a staple dish. Besides being served in Indian restaurants across the globe, it’s also widely sold as street food and snacks across the Indian subcontinent.
The origins of tikka masala remain uncertain to date. Often considered more British than Indian, it’s commonly regarded as England’s national dish. It may have derived from the popular Indian dish – butter chicken too.
One could easily debate whether tikka masala originated in India or Great Britain. What one cannot argue, though, is its unwavering popularity.
The Spice Mix Differs Only Slightly
It’s pretty surprising that most of the ingredients in the spice mix of both dishes are more or less the same. While the measurements may vary, here are the ones that are common to both:
| Tikka masala vs Chana masala Spice Mix: Common ingredients |
| Coriander seeds Cumin seeds Whole black pepper Dried medium-hot chilies (Kashmiri red chilies) Green cardamom Cinnamon Cloves |
Here are the ones that differ:
| Chana masala Spice Mix | Tikka masala Spice Mix |
| Ground turmeric | Black cardamom |
| Dry mango powder |
It’s more common to use garam masala instead of chana masala spice mix in the dish’s preparation. Garam masala is indeed the traditional spice blend for chana masala, but if you don’t have that on hand, you can opt for the above alternative.
In case you’re wondering, curry and masala are two different things. Here’s an interesting read on it – curry vs masala.
The Usual Style of Serving
While it’s easy to gorge on chana masala or tikka masala by itself as a filling meal, here’s what they’re commonly served with:
- Basmati rice
- Jeera rice
- Naan, Roti, or Paratha
Chana masala can also be served with the following Indian bread: kulcha and bhature.
Chana Masala vs Tikka Masala: Taste
One to tingle your tastebuds is chana masala, which is spicy, with sour citrus notes and a hint of tanginess from the dry mango powder often used in its preparation.
On the contrary, tikka masala has a slightly spicy and earthy taste. The chargrilled flavor of the main ingredient (often chicken) blends well with the creamy sauce.
Varying Consistencies
Chana masala is a vegetarian dish that varies in consistency based on preference. It could range from a thick gravy to a thin consistency or even a dry dish at times.
Since tikka masala is a tomato and cream-based sauce, it typically has a thick consistency.
Chana Masala vs Tikka Masala: Color
The common color that you’ll see in chana masala is an orange-red to brown-red color. However, the Punjabi chana masala has a dark brown, almost black color owing to its varying method of preparation.
Tikka masala is a bright-red or safety-cone-orange color since it’s a tomato-based gravy.
Can the Main Ingredient in These Dishes be Varied?
The main ingredient is white chickpeas for chana masala or Indian chickpea curry. At times, this Indian curry is also prepared with black chana.
Chana masala can also have additional main ingredients apart from chana, such as potatoes, paneer, or chicken.
Here’s more to read about paneer chana masala.
The British-Indian dish that is tikka masala, has chicken as its main and popular ingredient. However, variations of it use lamb, beef, fish, or even paneer. Tikka masala can indeed be cooked with Meat, Egg, or Paneer.
Undoubtedly, the most famous among the lot is the chicken tikka masala. However, tikka masala can also be used in vegan recipes.
Chana Masala vs Chicken Tikka Masala: Calorie Counts
Using an estimated 260 grams of chickpeas for chana masala will result in a calorie count of about 240 calories.
On the other hand, using about 800 grams of boneless chicken to make tikka masala results in about 580 calories. With all that cream used for the tikka masala sauce, it’s no surprise, either.
These are the calorie counts per serving, so if you have chicken tikka masala and chana masala with garlic naan, you’re probably going to have a calorific meal. Make that rice instead of naan, and you’re most definitely going to have a memorable meal, likely even open up the top button of your pant.
Tikka Masala vs Chana Masala: Preserving These Dishes
Like most Indian curries, chana masala can be refrigerated for 1-2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Once you’ve frozen and thawed it for consumption, don’t refreeze it again; it’ll turn to mush.
Chicken tikka masala can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just place it in freezable glass meal prep bowls, plastic zip-top bags, or an airtight container.
What Does Chana Masala Taste Like?
It’s a blend of spicy, sour, and tangy flavors. That little bit of dry mango (amchur) powder really gives it that flavor punch.
Why is my Chana Masala Bitter?
It could be owing to one or more of these reasons:
- Undercooking onion, ginger, or garlic
- Burnt spices or masala
- Too much garam masala
- Pureed raw yellow onion not sufficiently cooked
Is Chana Masala Good for Health?
Indeed it is. With a low-fat content, it helps keep your cholesterol in check. Chana is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, with a low glycemic index of 28. Chana masala is suitable for diabetics and weight loss.
