Every year on my birthday, I pick one area that I want to work on, improve etc. This year I decided to shift my eating habits. Nothing extreme, just little tweaks and changes in the way I eat, less salt, less fat, less eating out and less take out. Better portion control, meal planning, home cooking, ingredients and recipes. I also wanted to infuse delicious meat less recipes and I finally have a great one to share with you - Chana Masala aka chick pea stew. This has become my go to healthy, meatless option. I usuallty serve it with brown rice or just by itself.
I usually use canned chick pea when I am pressed for time which is just about everytime I make this , but you can also use raw chick peas. Follow the cooking instructions on the pack to prep it before joining into the recipe below.
What you need:
- Two tablespoons of clarified butter (ghee)
- One tablespoon minced garlic
- One large onion (diced)
- Half teaspoon salt
- Half teaspoon coriander
- Half teaspoon turmeric
- One teaspoon garam marsala
- Half teaspoon crushed red pepper
- One 6 oz can of tomato sauce
- One heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
- Two 15 oz cans of garbanzo beans
- One teaspoon cilantro
- Bay Leaves
- Half teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Vegetable stock (optional)
How To
- Heat clarified butter over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and onions and cook for five minutes.
- Add spices - coriander, turmeric, salt, red pepper flakes, stir and cook on medium heat for seven to ten minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add tomato sauce and tomato paste, stir and let it simmer on medium to low heat until the mixture start to bubble up (seven to ten minutes)
- Rinse the garbanzo bean and add to mixture. Add garam masala, bay leaves and cilantro and stir. If the mixture is too thick add water or vegetable stock. Taste and add more spices as needed. You can add the cayenne pepper now if you prefer it spicy (if not, leave out).
- Place lid on the pot and let it simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.
- Serve with basmati rice - white or brown.
