Chana (chickpea) masala

I'd call 2014 my year of playing with spices when it comes to cooking.  I've enjoyed learning to incorporate some spice - such as turmeric, chili and curry powders, garam masala, paprika, cumin, and coriander - into my food.  I have much to learn and try, but the small steps of expanding my spice pantry have widened my palate and made eating vegetables and legumes more interesting.

A spicy bowl of chickpeas - cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and plenty of spices, finished with lemon juice

Recently, I took some of my spices and made chana masala, a dish of chickpeas cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and plenty of spices to give it a good kick.  I learned about a new spice, amchoor powder, or a dried unripe mango powder, that's typically used in this dish to give it a citrus or sour note.  I substituted with lemon juice but it's good to learn something new and I've tucked it into my memory bank for now.  I actually walked around Penzeys recently but didn't find it; next time, I'll have to look harder to satisfy my curiosity.

I think playing with spices naturally leads me to Indian cuisine, which I am a big fan of.  I love meat dishes and curries but I was inspired to make this particular vegetarian dish after attending an Indian wedding recently.  The wedding was a blast - great music and a joyful vibe in the air that I just want to soak myself in.  The food at the wedding was vegetarian and reminded me, once again, how flavorful and satisfying vegetarian food can be when complimented and heightened with spices. Some fragrant rice and naan on the side doesn't hurt either.

This chana masala is somewhat similar to the Moroccan chickpea stew I made recently but it packs more heat.  I never thought I'd be a fan of chickpeas but its mild flavor and hearty texture makes it so great for pairing with spice.  When I first tasted my finished dish, my lips were on fire!  But it's amazing how quickly our taste-buds adjust.  Once it cooled a bit, it was a lot less spicy.  I also served it with brown rice to offset some of the heat and turn it into a meal.

A dollop of cool, thick yogurt would be nice here.  Given how great avocados are right now, I also enjoyed leftovers with cubes of soft, ripe avocado.


Much like Chinese cooking, which often calls for quick stir-frying, I've learned the importance of prepping, or mise en place, with Indian cooking.  This time, I chopped up my ingredients and made sure my spice blend was ready to go before I turned on the fire and got cooking!

Forgive my adaptations and shortcuts.  While I think we all want home-cooked food to be as authentic as possible, to me, convenience is also really important because I want these dishes to be ones I'd want to make over and over again.  To that end, I use canned chickpeas and canned diced tomatoes.  I also use ground cumin and did not roast and grind additional cumin seeds for this dish, as the original recipe calls for. 

And while I'm sure this chana masala would be made more authentic with the amchoor powder, I think the lemon juice does a good job of adding the much-needed splash of citrus in this very spicy dish.  I used the juice of one whole lemon and felt I wouldn't have minded even more so I can see how the amchoor powder came to be. 

Once the prep work is in place, the dish comes together very fast.  You end up with an exciting pot of chana masala - plenty for today and leftovers to enjoy later.  These flavorful dishes hold up so well in the fridge, or frozen for a quick healthy meal on another day.


Recipe:

Chana Masala
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe

- Serves 6 to 8 - 

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili, minced (I used a jalapeno)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, including the juice
3/4 cup water
2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of one lemon

Optional: Serve with brown rice, naan, yogurt, and/or avocado cubes.  Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or skillet.  Add onions, garlic, ginger, and green pepper.  Cook over medium-heat until browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium-low and add coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, paprika, and garam masala.  Stir well together and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, with its juices, and stir, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add water and chickpeas.  Let simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.  Stir in salt and lemon juice.

Serve alongside rice, or as desired.