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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
4-6 people
Author Notes
My husband grew up in an Indian-immigrant household where his mom was very conscious of preserving traditional Indian recipes as well as introducing more Western recipes to the table. Once in a while, a meal would consist of a fusion of two cultures, trying to incorporate leftovers into a completely new meal the next day. Thus, the Chana Masala Taco was born.
For my own family, I love to meal prep and meal plan to make cooking efficient. I typically boil garbanzo beans (chickpeas) at the beginning of the week to use throughout the week. Needless to say, one of our favorites is Chana Masala (Chole or Spicy Garbanzo Beans) because I can transform it from one of the family's favorite traditional Indian dishes into a Mexican taco-style lunch the day after! This recipe is actually a 2-in-1 recipe (dinner one night and work from home lunch the next day)! —WarriorInTheKitchen
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Ingredients
- Chana Masala (Chole)
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4 cups
cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
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2 tablespoons
avocado oil
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2
bay leaves
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2
whole dry chili peppers
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2
cinnamon stick pieces
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1/2 teaspoon
whole cumin seeds
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1
medium onion, finely diced
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1/2 cup
crushed tomatoes (or 1 cup diced tomatoes)
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2 tablespoons
grated ginger
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3-4
garlic cloves
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1 teaspoon
salt
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1/2 teaspoon
turmeric
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2 teaspoons
paprika
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1/2 teaspoon
red chili powder (optional to add heat)
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2 teaspoons
chana masala powder (a good addition, but not required)
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1 cup
water (adjust as needed for consistency)
- Chana Masala Tacos
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2 tablespoons
taco seasoning
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water as needed
Directions
- Chana Masala (Chole)
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Heat avocado oil in pan.
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Add bay leaves, dry chili pepper, cinnamon sticks and whole cumin seeds.
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Once cumin seeds start to sizzle, add diced onion and cook until slightly brown and translucent.
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Lower the heat and add the crushed or fresh tomatoes, ginger and garlic and mix well.
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Add salt, turmeric, paprika, red chili powder, chana masala mix and water. Mix well.
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Let simmer for about 5 minutes with lid on.
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Add cooked chickpeas, mix well and let cook for 7-10 minutes.
- Chana Masala Tacos
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Simply add the taco seasoning to Chana Masala.
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Mash with masher and add water as needed for a loose but not runny consistency.
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Serve on taco shells with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, optional cheese and salsa.
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