Chana Dopiaza (Chickpeas with Double Onions)
Chickpeas simmered with soft onions in the sauce and fresh crunchy onion folded in at the end, the classic two-onion way.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.79 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the sliced onion for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
8 min - 2
Stir in the cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds.
- 3
Pour in your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe), add the chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
12 min - 4
Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan until hot and cook the onion wedges and pepper for 4 minutes until charred at the edges but still crunchy.
4 min - 5
Stir the charred onion and pepper into the curry with the salt and garam masala. Cook for 2 minutes.
- 6
Finish with the lemon juice and serve with rice or chapatis.
Tips
- Keep the wedges of onion crisp. Dopiaza means two onions, and the contrast between soft and crunchy is the point.
- Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce naturally.
- Drained tinned chickpeas save time. Rinse them well to remove the salty liquid.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Cool within 2 hours and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What does dopiaza mean?
It means two onions, usually one cooked into the sauce and one added later for texture. Both are used here.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes. Soak and cook 200 g dried chickpeas until soft, then use about 480 g cooked chickpeas in place of the tins.
Is this vegan and gluten free?
Yes. It uses chickpeas, vegetables, oil and spices with a vegan, gluten free base.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Cauliflower Bhuna with Peas
DFEFNFPrawn Biryani (Jhinga Biryani)
GFEFNFMushroom Bhuna with Peppers
DFEFNFVegetable Rogan Josh
DFEFNFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
