Chana Masala
Chickpeas simmered in a deeply browned onion, tomato, ginger and garam masala sauce. A cozy, pantry-friendly vegan curry that tastes even better the next day.
Chef's note The garam masala goes in twice: early for depth, at the end for aroma.
Chef's note The garam masala goes in twice: early for depth, at the end for aroma. Leftovers are even better on day two, which makes this my favorite meal-prep lunch.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 serrano or green chile minced
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp garam masala divided
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne or Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 2 cans chickpeas 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 1¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ lemon
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice for serving
Steps
Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add 1 large yellow onion and cook, stirring often, until deep golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Don't rush this: well-browned onion gives the sauce its body.
Stir in 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 1 serrano or green chile for 1 minute, then 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ground turmeric and ¼ tsp cayenne or Kashmiri chili powder for 30 seconds.
Add 1 can crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes, until thick and the oil starts to separate at the edges. Add 2 cans chickpeas, 1 cup water and 1¼ tsp kosher salt. Simmer 15 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce.
Stir in the rest of the garam masala (1 tsp garam masala) and the juice of ½ lemon. Top with ¼ cup cilantro and serve with 4 cups cooked basmati rice.
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