Chana Masala

Chana Masala, a vegetarian dish, has quickly become a go-to meal when I’m looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner (it’s also super tasty!).

I’m posting the recipe here because I adapted it from various recipes I found online. Here’s the version I use:

Chana Masala

Serves 4

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (I keep peeled ginger root in the freezer; it’s easy to take out as needed and grate with a microplane)
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon (or several tsp bottled lemon juice)
  • Brown rice for serving
  • Greek yogurt for serving (optional)

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until golden brown, stirring often to avoid burning. Lower the heat and add the spices, stirring them into the oil. Cook for an additional minute until very fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.

Add the tomatoes and water to deglaze the pan, then add the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the chickpeas are tender and the flavors have come together (15-20 minutes). If needed, add more water to get the right consistency. Add salt and lemon juice to taste. Serve with brown rice and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Chana Masala

Weekly Meal Plan: March 19-25, 2012

This is what Paul and I had for dinner last week. As you can see, it’s CrockPot-heavy. After making do with a manual 2.5-qt CrockPot for years, I decided to upgrade to a 6-qt model (with a timer!) a few weeks ago. I found one on Amazon, but ended up buying the exact model I wanted (in an unopened box!) from a seller on Craigslist.

Monday
CrockPot Indian Chicken Curry

This was fantastic served with Greek yogurt. The yogurt really brought out the flavors of the other ingredients.

CrockPot Indian Chicken Curry

Tuesday
Butternut Squash Soup

This was good, but rich. Next time I would freeze half of it, rather than taking large portions to work for the next few days. It’s better in small servings.

Wednesday
CrockPot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili

This recipe calls for two pounds of ground turkey, but I only used one pound and thought it was plenty. Served with Greek yogurt.

CrockPot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Chana Masala

I made this vegetarian dish because Paul isn’t eating meat during Lent. I didn’t use amchoor powder or a hot green chili pepper because I didn’t have either one, but the dish was still much tastier than I expected.

Chana Masala

Saturday
White Chicken Chili

This chili wasn’t gluten-free; I made it for Paul because I was trying to use up some ingredients I wanted to get out of my kitchen and he enjoys eating it. I made a large batch and froze the leftovers.

White Chicken Chili

Sunday
Ate out