Channa Masala – Indian Chickpea Curry

Channa Masala (also known as Chole Masala) is a staple in nearly every Indian kitchen. Once you have a well-stocked spice cabinet (which you can put together easily by visiting an Indian grocery store), you barely need to go to the store to make this dish together on a weeknight. Indian food is all about the layering of flavors and spices in a particular order and this recipe teaches you how to do just that.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 cups yellow onions, finely diced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (out of a jar or equal parts ginger and garlic pureed together with a touch of water)
• 1 teaspoon Indian red chili powder (or 2 tsp cayenne)
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup channa masala powder (found in any Indian grocery store or in the international aisle)
• 1-2 cups water, as needed
• 1 28-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt
• Juice of one lime
• Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat a large deep bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan and heat until shimmering.
2. Add the cardamom, clove, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds. The cumin seeds will sizzle and stir fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped onions and 1 tsp salt and cook until deep brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the turmeric and ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture looks like a slightly thick paste. There shouldn’t be much excess liquid in the pan.
6. Add the channa masala powder and chilli powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add water - the exact amount depends on how much “sauce” you want in the final dish.
8. Add the chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
9. Add salt to taste, lime juice, and a handful of chopped cilantro
10. Serve with rice or your favorite Indian flatbread.

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