Chana Masala
Indian Food. Where spices hide all sins. I mean that in the best possible way. Any culture that can make goat taste good, can certainly make vegetarian taste good. Chana Masala may possibly be the easiest Indian dish I’ve ever made, certainly amongst the quickest. In my opinion this is the penultimate chick pea dish, second only to the mighty hummus. Before making, there is a tip to making Indian food that an Indian friend once gave me. Close all closet and bedroom doors before starting. This frankly, should be the first lesson in any Indian cooking class.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of canned chick peas (1 1/2 cans, which is an annoying measurement, I’m aware)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium sized sweet onion
- 1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
- 4 teaspoons of chana masala seasoning (find at Indian food stores) OR substitute 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon mango powder (or substitute 2 teaspoons lemon juice), 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 chopped cilantro
Directions
Heat oil at medium heat in a heavy skillet. Once hot, add cumin seeds and fry for about 15 seconds. Add onion. Cook gently for 10 minutes to brown. Add ginger, spice, and tomatoes. Cook gently until tomatoes start to brown. About 6 minutes.
Add chick peas, tomato paste and water. Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, letting flavours get real familiar with each other. Taste for seasoning, move to warmed serving dish, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.