Quick Vegan Chana Masala
This flavorful chana masala recipe is a delightful medley of chickpeas, tomatoes, and a fragrant blend of spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Served over steaming basmati rice and garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon, this dish is a comforting and satisfying meal that will warm your senses with every bite. Indulge in the rich flavors and comforting aromas of this classic Indian-inspired dish.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pressed or minced fresh garlic (about 5 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 green Serrano pepper, minced (seed it first if you want to tame the spice level)
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala (or tikka masala)
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice, for serving (rice is optional, I like to cook extra rice to have on hand for other meals)
- Lemon wedges, for garnishing
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the rice (if you want to serve the chana masala on rice): Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh colander. Once boiling, pour in the rice and give it a stir. Boil the rice for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the rice. Return the rice to the pot and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and season with sea salt to taste.
- Cook the chana masala: In a medium Dutch oven or large saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, serrano and salt. Cook until the onion is tender and turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and cayenne (if using), and cook for another minute, while stirring constantly.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices. If using whole tomatoes, use the back of a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes apart (you can leave some chunks of tomato for texture).
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 10 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to develop. Season to taste with additional salt, if desired. If it’s not spicy enough for your liking, add another pinch of cayenne.
- Serve over basmati rice, if desired, and garnish with a lemon wedge or two and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves.
Cook Time
20M
Prep Time
PT20M
Yield
4
Nutrition
- Calories: 410 calories
- Sugar Content: 12 g
- Sodium Content: 899.5 mg
- Fat Content: 8.7 g
- Saturated Fat Content: 3.2 g
- Trans Fat Content: 0 g
- Carbohydrate Content: 73.3 g
- Fiber Content: 14.2 g
- Protein Content: 15 g
- Cholesterol Content: 0 mg
Comments
No comments found.