Another Big Flavour Alert! My Take on Chana Masala

Hey friends, how are you? You all must’ve noticed by now that the temperature, she’s a-steadily dropping. So, the cooking will lean towards heartier fare more and more. I realize I haven’t done too many vegetarian recipes so far, but today’s will more than make up for that, I think.

This is a dish Liz and I used to eat quite a lot. So much so that we kinda overdid it and had to take it out of the rotation for a while. It made a grand return last night, though. And I have to say, absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.

This is my completely non-traditional, white-as-the-freshly-driven-snow take on Chana Masala. Chana Masala is a dish from northern India. It’s warming, filling and delicious. I will admit to taking a few liberties with the preparation, however.

Usual disclaimer applies: I am in no way an expert on Indian cooking, northern or otherwise. This is my humble homage to a dish I like. This is just how I make it. I’m not trying to make any aunties roll over in their graves. It’s tasty and quick, but by no means authentic.

If, by the way, you want a really amazing and authentic take on this dish and more, I highly recommend taking a look at Coconut Lagoon by Joe Thottungal. Joe is an amazing chef here in Ottawa, nationally recognized for his Keralan cuisine. He also happens to be an exceptionally kind and giving dude. He can usually be found these days at Thali, or doing phenomenal charity work around the city, feeding the less fortunate.

Anyways, I digress. The recipe I’m sharing today is not the one from that book. It just came from a desire to eat this dish at home and we (Liz and I) approximated what we liked. The rest was trial and error, making it over and over until we had what we liked. That’s what cooking is, remember. Making a dish over and over until it’s perfect for YOU. Your taste buds are king.  

If you’re watching your carb intake, you can skip the rice to ladle this curry over. But, for me it’s just not the same without it.

Completely Non-Authentic Chana Masala

Ingredients:

• 3 yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 7-8 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2” knob of ginger, peeled and finely minced
• 8g red chili powder (Indian or Korean chili, not for Texas chili)
• 12g ground cumin
• 6g ground turmeric
• 14g garam masala
• 4g tomato paste
• 2 540mL cans chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 796mL can Roma tomatoes
• 237mL coconut milk
• 1-2 handfuls baby spinach (completely optional, we just like it)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup Basmati rice

Method:

1. Heat a film of canola oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook and brown slightly for 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring to combine. Monitor the heat, so that the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the chili powder, cumin, turmeric, tomato paste and garam masala, stirring to combine. Allow the spices to cook for 2-3 minutes to become fragrant, but ensure they don’t burn.
4. Add the chickpeas, and stir to coat in the spice mixture.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the tomatoes. Break them up with a wooden spoon or spatula and stir everything to combine. Bring to a simmer.
6. Stir in the coconut milk, return the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water for 1 minute, then place in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt and ¾ cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Remove the covered pot from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes more before fluffing with a fork.
8. As the rice stands, stir the spinach (if using) into the curry just to warm through and wilt. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if desired.
9. Scoop rice into bowls and ladle curry overtop.

As I said earlier, authentic? No. Delicious? Yes. Traditional? No. Easy? You betcha.

Sure, I COULD use dried chickpeas, soaking them overnight, then cooking them, to avoid that slight tinny taste the canned ones sometimes have. But you guys know by now, I’m laaaaaaazy. I really hope the addition of spinach doesn’t offend anyone, either. I just wanted some green in my life. Don’t know why, but when I cook vegetarian, I seem to unconsciously try to make it as healthy as possible. Plus, it just tastes good! Hope you guys like this one. If you do, shoot me an email or leave a comment down below. I’ll be back in a couple days with the weekly bread experiment, so stay safe and see you soon!