Quick and Easy Chana Masala

by | Oct 15, 2020 | Entrees, Hot Peppers, Indian Cuisine, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

Quick and Easy Chana Masala
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Chana Masala is one of my favorite Indian dishes, but until recently I had never tried making it. I don’t know why we haven’t explored Indian cuisine more… I guess it seemed complicated to me in some way. And then there’s the issue that I have no idea what I’m ordering when I go to an Indian restaurant. Fortunately though, Connor’s been checking out some local Indian restaurants and doing take out. With all the COVID restrictions, we do like to support our local restaurants however we can.

Recently he had a hankering for a Tikka Masala, and brought home an order of that plus Chana Masala. After sampling a bit of the delicious food he brought home,  I realized how much I enjoy those flavors. So in an effort to mix it up a bit and add more vegetarian entrees to our repertoire, we decided to try making Chana Masala. I’m so glad we did!

For those folks, like me, who were unfamiliar with it, it literally means mix-spiced small-chickpeas (according to Wikipedia, anyway). So I think that Chana means chickpea, and Masala refers to the spice mixture–but don’t quote me on that.

I don’t know why I’ve felt a bit intimidated by Indian cuisine, but this recipe came together quickly and with minimal effort using canned chickpeas and tomatoes. The blend of spices is so flavorful and we found it to be even better the next day, so it could even be made a day or two in advance. A great option for all you meal prep fans.

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Quick and Easy Chana Masala

  • Author: Stacey McNeill
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Description

Chana Masala is a great vegetarian (or even vegan) entree option as “Chana” means chickpea and there is no meat protein or dairy included. However, I absolutely love it topped with whole milk Greek yogurt, so if you aren’t avoiding dairy, I highly recommend trying it that way.

Ingredients

  • small handful fresh cilantro, including stems (about 15 sprigs)
  • 1 small red onion (about 5 ounces)
  • 3 medium garlic cloves
  • 1 (2 -inch) knob of  fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped (27 grams)
  • 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, halved, and seeded (12 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained but not rinsed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Remove the leaves from the cilantro and set aside. You want to have about 1/2 cup (loosely packed) of leaves. Chop cilantro stems into several smaller pieces. Cut the onion into rough chunks. Add cilantro stems and onion to a bowl of a food processor along with  the ginger, garlic and one of the serrano peppers. Process until finely chopped.
  2. heat oil in a large saute pan. Add onion and cilantro mixture and cook of medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onion and chiles are softened.
  3. Add paprika, turmeric, cumin and fennel seeds to onion mixture and cook, stirring, for about one minute.
  4. Add canned tomatoes to the food processor and process until smooth.
  5. Add tomato puree and chickpeas to the saute pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and keep on low heat to maintain simmer for about 15 minutes.
  6. Add garam masala and 1/3 teaspoon salt and stir. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Continue to cook, uncovered, until chickpeas are tender and sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
  7. Chop or thinly slice remaining pepper to offer as a topping.
  8. Add about half of the cilantro leaves and allow them to wilt slightly. Put the remainder of cilantro on the table along with lime wedges and peppers, to allow diners to add at their discretion. Serve with basmati rice or naan, and offer Greek yogurt as well as an additional topping.