RECIPE: Chickpea Curry (Channa Masala)

This is one of my all time favourite quick, simple, nutritious and low cost meals. My version of Channa Masala (chickpea curry) is quick to make and hearty and satisfying to eat. It is easy to prepare and most importantly of all can be made out of ingredients that can be stocked up and stored in your pantry – no need for top quality fresh produce here!

All a good chickpea curry needs is some spices, a can of chickpeas, canned tomatoes and rice. Maybe some yoghurt, coriander and poppadoms to garnish if you want to be extra fancy. All prepared in the time it takes to boil a pot of rice, at the cost of a few dollars.

Ingredients (serves 2):

One can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

One can of chopped or diced tomatoes

4 cloves garlic

1 thumb of ginger

Chilli (fresh or powdered) to taste (I use a whole one but like spicy food)

1 tablespoon Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1 tablespoon Coriander ground

3-5 tablespoons Ghee or oil

Coriander fresh (to garnish optional)

Yoghurt (optional)

Poppadoms (to garnish optional)

Basmati rice (can substitute with other kinds of rice)

Method

Put rice on to cook. We recommend using the absorption method where you add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice bring to the boil on high heat and then cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Once the water has evaporated the rice should be cooked.

Drain the brine out of the chickpeas by running under the tap to clean. In a large pan or frying pan heat up some oil and throw in the garlic, ginger and chilli (fresh or powder). The oil should cover these ingredients, if it isn’t add a little more oil. Leave to fry for about two-three minutes on a medium heat or until the ingredient just start to brown. Do not let them get fully brown otherwise the garlic will turn bitter!

Add the chickpeas, turmeric and ground coriander and fry for two minutes. Then add the tomatoes to heat up.

In another frying pan heat up some more oil – just enough to cover the bottom of the pan – and add the cumin seeds once the oil is heated. Fry these for 30 seconds, no more. Otherwise they will also go bitter. Add them to the chickpeas and tomatoes.

Add a dollop of yoghurt and stir in and then serve with garnishes.

So quick and so easy NOM NOM!