Chickpea Butter Masala (Chole Butter Masala)

1. Prepare the tomatoes

If using fresh tomatoes, place them in a blender and blend until smooth.

Tinned chopped tomatoes can be used straight from the tin or blended first if you prefer a smoother sauce.

2. Cook the onion

Heat the oil and 2–3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.

Add the finely chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft and lightly golden. Try not to let it become too dark.

3. Build the tomato masala

Reduce the heat to low and add Shemin’s Indian Curry Paste.

Cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly, then add the tomatoes.

Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir, partially cover the pan and cook for a further 5–8 minutes, until the tomato sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

4. Add the chickpeas

Reserve ⅓ cup of the drained chickpeas and set them aside for blending.

Add the remaining chickpeas to the pan with the sugar, if using, Shemin’s Garam Masala Spice Blend and crushed dried fenugreek.

Stir until the chickpeas are thoroughly coated in the tomato masala, then pour in 250ml hot water and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Thicken the curry

Blend the reserved ⅓ cup of chickpeas with 125ml water until smooth.

Stir the blended chickpeas and black pepper into the curry. Loosely cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from catching.

6. Add the cream

Taste the curry and adjust the seasoning only if needed, as Shemin’s Indian Curry Paste already contains salt.

Stir in the double cream and chopped coriander. Cover and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.

If the curry becomes thicker than you would like, loosen it with a small splash of hot water.

7. Make the paprika butter

Place 1 tablespoon of butter and a few drops of oil in a small pan over a low heat.

Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Shemin’s Paprika or Shemin’s Smoked Paprika Powder. Removing it from the heat prevents the paprika from burning and becoming bitter.

8. Finish and serve

Drizzle the aromatic paprika butter over the chickpea curry.

Finish with fresh coriander and a small swirl of cream, if liked.

Serve with steamed basmati rice, warm Shemin’s Indian Breads and Shemin’s Mango Chutney, if using.