Chana Masala Style Chickpeas

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)

5 garlic cloves (crushed)

1-inch piece ginger (crushed)

1 small green chili pepper (such as Serrano or Thai chili) (sliced)

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika powder (or Kashmiri chili powder if you have it)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder

2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped or puréed in a food processor)

2 cans (around 15-oz each) chickpeas (rinsed and drained, See Note 1)

1 1/4 tsp sea salt or table salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp baking powder (or sub baking soda) (optional - for extra tender chickpeas, See Note 2)

1/2 tsp garam masala or chaat masala

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2-3 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped)

julienned ginger (optional, for garnish)

1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Heat a medium, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and onion. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, until golden. If the mixture gets dry, deglaze with 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili pepper and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of water (if needed), and add all the spice powders. Give it a few stirs to roast the spices, and then add the tomatoes. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Mix in the chickpeas, baking powder (if using), salt, and 2 cups of water.

Raise the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and let cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chickpeas are very tender.

Uncover and raise the heat to high. Use a wooden spatula to slightly crush the chickpeas. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes to desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning. Turn off the heat and add the garam masala or chaat masala, lemon juice, and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle with julienned ginger and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

Yummy stew but doesn’t really taste like chana masala

Nutrition

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Total Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Sodium: 856 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 18 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 5 g