Author Notes
Chana Masala is a spiced chickpea stew from Indian and Pakistani cuisine, which happens to be one of my favourites when it comes to Indian food (it's a really tough competition!). This is the chana masala that I currently do at home - no doubt much simpler than the original recipe, but still very tasty. I normally use chickpeas only, but I had some tofu leftover that I really needed to use so I added it in and the end result was actually quite good, so here's the variation on the classical theme! —Silvia Merler
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Ingredients
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2 tablespoons
olive oil (divided)
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1
yellow onion, peeled and diced
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2
cloves of green garlic, minced (regular garlic works too)
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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1
can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
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1
can diced tomatoes (I prefer fire roasted)
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1 teaspoon
tomato paste
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8 ounces
firm tofu
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1 tablespoon
ground coriander
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1 teaspoon
ground turmeric
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2 teaspoons
garam masala
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2 teaspoons
paprika
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1 teaspoon
cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon
chili powder
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1/2
lemon, juiced
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1/2 cup
water
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2 cups
white rice, boiled
Directions
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Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic and cumin seeds. Cook for some minutes until the onions soften.
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Meanwhile mix the spices (coriander, turmeric, paprika, chili powder but not the garam masala) into a small bowl. Add to the pot and stir to incorporate to the onion and garlic mixture. Add the tomato paste and a little of oil (if the mixture looks too dry).
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Mix well, then add the diced tomato, chickpeas, salt and half a cup of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 20 minute, until the sauce thickens.
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Meanwhile, drain and pat the tofu dry. Cut into it 1-inch squares. Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and toast the tofu until golden. When the chickpea stew has reached the right consistency, stir in the garam masala, the lemon juice and the tofu. Let it cool slightly and serve with the boiled white rice.
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