Last weekend we made up a big feast of Indian vegetarian curries for all the family. It was a great success! I really do love Indian style vegetarian food, much more interesting than the Western stuff.
All in all we made three curries – two of which I’ve blogged about already – Kidney Beans, Dhal – and Chana. All easy to make, cheap and tasty. They are super filling and will keep you digestive system healthy!
I love chickpeas. I think they are super versatile and too often overlooked in the kitchen. I’ve shared a few chickpeas recipes in the past including my favourites (excuse the terrible photography) Chicken, Chorizo and Chickpea Casserole and Coconut Chickpea Curry.
However, a simple Chana is a fantastic way to make a cheap, tasty and hearty meal. It’s way easier than you’d think.
This is not necessarily an authentic recipe, it’s just how I throw a bunch of spices in a pan. Sometimes that’s the best way to cook.
Chana (Chickpea Curry) serves 2-4
- 1tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 medium Onion, finely sliced
- Large pinch of Salt
- 1/2tsp Turmeric
- 1/4tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1tsp Ground Cumin
- 1tsp Ground Coriander
- 1tsp Ground Fenugreek
- 1/2tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
- 1 heaped tsp Garlic Puree
- 1 tin Chopped Tomatoes, pureed in blender
- 1 pint Water, boiling
- 2 tins Chickpeas
- Fresh Coriander, handful roughly chopped
- First add the mustard seeds to the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. As soon as they seeds begin to sizzle add the onions.
- Sprinkle with salt and stir often to stop the onions sticking. Fry until soft and start to turn golden.
- Add the spices and garlic and stir for a minute or so.
- Tip in the pureed tomatoes and stir well before adding the water. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes.
- Now add the chickpeas and reduce the heat to the lowest possible. Allow the curry to simmer gently for at least 25-30 minutes, or until the chickpeas are nicely tender and most of the excess liquid has reduced.. Keep stirring occasionally to prevent the chickpeas sticking to the pan.
- Taste for seasoning and add extra salt to your liking.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh coriander.
We eat these with rotli (you may know at roti or chappati) but tastes equally nice with rice.
Enjoy!
***
