Creamy Tomato Chickpea Masala
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 20 min |
| Cook time | 30-35 min |
| Source | Smitten Kitchen Keepers by Deb Perelman (pg 87-88) |
| Yield / serves | 4 servings |
| Rating | (unrated) |
Ingredients
- 3 T neutral oil, butter, or ghee
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, and minced or grated
- kosher salt
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 t ground turmeric
- 1/2 t garam masala
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1/4 - 1 t ground cayenne or mild chili powder[1]
- 2 T tomato paste
- 14.5 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes, or 1 3/4 c small-diced fresh tomatoes
- 3 1/2 c cooked chickpeas, drained, rinsed[2]
- 2 - 4 T heavy cream
- handful of roughly chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- rice, for serving
Preparation
In a medium-large (3-quart) heavy pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onion is browned at the edges.
Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 minute more.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and the other seasonings, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, and cook until it is one shade darker, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stirring up any stuck bits, season with another 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to break down and look saucy, mashing them a bit with your spoon if needed, which takes between 4 and 8 minutes.[3]
Add 1 1/4 cups water, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to the lowest simmer. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes; then add chickpeas, and cook for another 10 minutes, until they have slightly softened. If the chickpea mixture looks dry or thick, add more water to loosen.
Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons cream. Gaze at the color and ask yourself if you're in more of a red, orange, or pink mood today. If the last, add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream. Finish with herbs, if using, and serve with rice.
Notes
- [The author] somtimes add some toasted paneer or halloumi cubes here as luxurious croutons Cut an 8-once package of paneer or halloumi into 1-inche pieces. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of a neutral oil over medium heat. Cook the cheese until it's golden underneath, then flip and lightly brown on the opposite side. Add to the pot of chickpeas, the warmth will keep them soft, right before serving.
- ↑ We do half what the original recipe called for, and it was spicey enough for us.
- ↑ The biggest debate in [the author's] household over this dish is whether it should be entirely chickpeas or one part chickpeas and one part cauliflower. Both are excellent. If you'd like to add cauliflower, reduce the chickpeas to one can, the water to 1 cup; then add 3 cups cauliflower chopped into 1/2-to-1-inch pieces (about 1 pound total, from half a large head). Add the cauliflower when you add the water, and give it 10 minutes to begin softening before adding the chickpeas. The dish is done when the cauliflower is at your desired level of tenderness.
- ↑ Fresh tomatoes cook down faster.
