Vegetarian Mains
Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
Tempering the whole cumin seeds in hot oil until they sizzle and pop, right at the start, is a technique called tadka that extracts far more flavor than adding ground spice alone.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained
- 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- fresh cilantro
Method
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole cumin seeds and let them sizzle and pop for about 30 seconds — this tempering technique, called tadka, extracts far more aromatic oil from the spice than just adding ground cumin later would.
- 2
Add onion, cooking 5-6 minutes until softened, then add garlic and ginger, cooking 1 minute.
- 3
Stir in garam masala and turmeric, cooking 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
Add chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and water, bring to a simmer.
- 5
Simmer 20-25 minutes until thickened, mashing some of the chickpeas against the side of the pot for a thicker texture. Garnish with cilantro.