Channa Masala is a South Asian chickpea dish made with lots of flavors and lots of love. Being from Pakistan, it’s something I loved to eat growing up. Nowadays, I get to make it for myself. The recipe is simple, tasty and vegan. It serves about two to three people and the leftovers are great the next day!
A few disclaimers–firstly, each family and community has their own version of the dish, so other recipes may add different spices or incorporate unique cooking techniques. Also, in Pakistani cooking, we usually don’t have specific measurements for our spices, so I’ve estimated them as best I could. Feel free to adjust to your liking!
Ingredients:
1 ½ tbsp. oil of your choosing
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. ginger paste
½ chopped onion
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin powder
3-4 whole black peppers
½ fresh chopped jalapeno
½ cup water
1 can chickpeas
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut in fourths
Lemon juice and cilantro for garnish (optional)
1. Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat and then add garlic and ginger paste. Once fragrant (about two to three minutes), add the onion. Stir constantly.
2. Add spices and jalapeno once the onion is translucent. Stir and let cook for about five minutes.
3. Add water, chickpeas and tomatoes. Then stir. Cook until tomatoes start to break down. Lightly mash the chickpeas for more texture.
4. Cover and let thicken for 15-20 minutes. The final product should have a thick, stew-like consistency.
There you go! It’s as easy as one, two, three … and four! Garnish with lemon juice and cilantro, and serve with rice or naan. You can even eat it plain! It’s delicious, healthy and so easy!
Photos Courtesy of Sidra Rashid