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In India, there are different ways of making chana or chickpeas and one of the most common ones is chana masala which is a chickpea curry. Right before dinner tonight, we stumbled upon this scrumptious recipe of chana masala which is an Indian goodness packed with not only tantalizing taste but also health benefits.
Say ‘yes’ to bone, muscle and skin health with this delicious and flavourful Indian curry made by cooking chickpeas in a spicy onion tomato masala gravy. Check out the recipe of ultra creamy vegan Chickpea stew or vegan Chana Masala or vegan chole masala here:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups dry chickpeas or 2 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained
3 onions, finely chopped
1 can chopped or whole peeled tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 fresh chili, chopped (seeds removed if you can’t handle the heat)
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 tbs garam masala
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 bunch of fresh cilantro leaves and stalks, chopped
1 cup water
Cashew cream
½ cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for 1 hour
1clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup water
salt to taste
Method:
Soak the cashews in hot water for 1 hour. Place rinsed cashews and the rest of the ingredients from the cashew cream mixture into a high speed blender, blend until perfectly smooth, add more water if necessary. Soak dried chickpeas overnight and cook until soft. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse.
Start by heating the pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and toast for 1-2 minutes. Add the oil, onions, ginger, chilis and garlic. Fry for 8 minutes stirring frequently. Add the rest of the ground spices, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add canned or fresh tomatoes and the water, cook for approx. 15 minutes or until all the flavors have blended and the onions are nice and soft.
Move half of the gravy to a food processor, let it cool and blend. Move it back to the pan, add the cooked chickpeas, half of the cashew cream, lemon juice and cilantro stalks, simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes.
Garnish with lots of freshly chopped cilantro and more of the cashew cream. Serve with steamed rice or any type of flat bread eg naan or roti. Enjoy!
Benefits:
Apart from containing protein which aides bone, muscle and skin health, chickpeas also contain other nutrients which help prevent a number of health conditions. They can be included in a healthful diabetes meal plan, help manage blood pressure, support heart health, help protect the body from cancer and also have a positive impact on brain and nervous system function.
