Indian chickpea masala recipe

This Indian chickpea masala recipe makes a great healthy food dinner. It only gets tastier the next day, when chick peas absorb garam masala flavours. So it becomes a healthy lunch option, even for those who don't want to use microwave ovens. Sure, it is tastier when it's warm, but it is quite edible cold. And it freezes well for future use.

In terms of health benefits, this meal is mighty. Anti-cancer effect of turmenic is combined with benefits of chick peas that lower cholesterol and blood sugar, and fight heart disease. One cup of chick peas delivers half of your daily fiber and quarter of your daily protein.

Are you thinking "Indian food is too spicy for me?"

That's what I thought, and for years my family was deprived of an opportunity to explore a wonderful world of indian vegetarian cooking.

Guess what? If you cook it, it is just as spicy as you make it! Make your own garam masala - all the ingredients are available - just don't put as much cayenne pepper as the recipe requires. The flavour will be there, but the spice won't.

Ready? Let's start!

Indian chickpea masala recipe

Vegan, gluten-free, satisfying meal, traditionally served over basmati rice. Use borner mandoline slicer to speed up cooking time. Cooking time: 25 min, Prep.time:10 min

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked or 2 15oz cans canned chickpeas (rinse if canned)
• 1 big onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 16-oz can of diced tomatoes or 1 335-ml can of pasta sauce plus 3 diced fresh tomatoes
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 inch ( 1 cm) ginger, peeled, then grated or chopped ( or 1/2 tsp ginger powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala ( 1/2 tsp if you don't like spicy food)
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan until hot. Add chopped onions and carrot and cook, covered, until softened.
2. Blend or mash 1/2 cup chick peas with water and part of tomatoes( not a necessary step, if you are in the hurry)
3. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, ginger, tomatoes, and garam masala and mix with onions nad carrots.
4. Add chick peas, mix, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir in the cilantro or parsley.
6. Serve over rice; rice could be replaced with rice noodles, couscous, or quinoa.

Serves 6-8 people.
Cooking/prep time - 20 minutes

Time saving tips

• Use Borner mandoline slicer, it will cut prep time by 5-10 minutes, make slicing effortless, and make veggies look uniform;
• Soak and cook chick peas in advance, divide them by 2-3 cups portions and freeze them. Cooked chick peas are way tastier than the ones from the can, and they contain no aluminium or bisphenol-A.