The bone-cold weather continues on the east coast and we are still in curry mode, trying to warm up! In honor of keeping our meals fast, healthy and delicious, we prepared Chana Masala tonight, which is whole chickpeas Braised in Tomato. Chana Masala is made in various ways throughout India. This recipe uses Moji's Aloo Rasedar (potato) Masala which has layers of spices that are earthy, sweet and smoky and balance beautifully with the textured whole chickpeas. Blend in fresh baby spinach for a pop of green and finish with a touch of full fat yogurt or coconut milk for a more luxurious dish. Serve with rice or bread or enjoy it as a stew!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons high-heat neutral oil
2.5 cups of chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
1 tablespoon garlic/ginger paste or 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/3 cup high-quality tomato puree, like Pomi or Mutti
1 packet Moji Masala Aloo Rasedar Masala
1 teaspoon fine salt
​ ​
2 15 oz cans of chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup of plain full-fat yogurt, stirred
1 handful of chopped cilantro, mint, or parsley leaves, and/or 1 cup of fresh baby spinach (for garnish) [optional]
1.5 cups Thai jasmine or Indian basmati rice (prepare as instructed) or bread of choice
Directions:
Step 1 Place a wide-based pot on medium-high heat. Add oil and let it heat up. add the onions and sauté until nicely brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add splashes of water as needed, to keep the pot from burning.
Step 2 Add the garlic/ginger paste and sauté for a minute until nicely fragrant.
Step 3 Add the tomato puree and cook until It thickens slightly and the oil starts to separate and bubble (approximately 4 miutes).
Step 4 Add the full packet of the Aloo Rasedar Masala and the salt and blend well into the tomato-onion paste. Add splashes of water as needed, to keep the pot and spices from burning.
Step 5 Add the chickpeas and coat well. Add about 1.5 cups of water, or enough to nearly cover the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then cover and cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes until the flavor of the spices has penetrated well into the chickpeas. Check periodically to make sure the dish is not drying out. Add more water if needed.
Step 6 Stir in the lemon juice, followed by the yogurt. Garnish and serve hot.