Chana Masala

Ingredients

canola or olive oil, for cooking
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 tbsp. (15 ml) grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. (10 ml) curry paste
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 can (398 ml) chicken or beef stock or coconut milk
2  19 oz cans (540 ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
steamed rice or couscous, for serving
extra cilantro, for serving (optional, without stems)

Directions

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for a few minutes, until soft; add the jalapeño, garlic and ginger and cook for another few minutes, until everything is soft and fragrant.

Add the curry paste, tomatoes and cilantro and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.

When the tomatoes are breaking apart, add the chickpeas and stock or coconut milk, bring to a simmer, turn the heat down low and cover.

Cook for about 20 minutes, until everything is nice and soft and the sauce has thickened.

Serve immediately over rice, sprinkled with extra cilantro. Serves 4–6.

PER SERVING (prepared with 2 tsp. canola oil):

223 calories, 4.3 g fat (0.6 g saturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 2.2 g monounsaturated fat), 9 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 1 mg cholesterol, 7.5 g fibre

Originally published in 2011.