Chana Masala is an Indian dish featuring chickpeas in a spiced tomato sauce, with chana meaning chickpeas and masala meaning a spice blend. It is warm, fragrant, comforting, stick-to-your-ribs kind of food. On cold, dark February nights with the rain pounding outside there are few things I find more comforting than gathering around a candlelit table with friends and eating hearty, spiced, exotic food like this. 
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans are a legume rich in fiber, protein, folate and several minerals. Just one cup contains half the fiber needed for the day, nearly one third of the protein and over two thirds of the folate, earning itself the right to be called nutrient dense. It’s biggest contribution however, is molybdenum, with an impressive amount of almost three times what we need for a day in just one cup. Molybdenum is not the most talked about mineral, and is certainly not a media darling like calcium, iron and zinc are but it plays vital helper roles in our bodies, working with other components to optimize detoxification.
This is a simplified version of Chana Masala with ingredients widely available in the Western world. Traditionally this dish uses a powder made from green mangoes that imparts some tangy acidity but it is pretty hard to find in North America. An alternative is to use a bit of fresh lemon juice to taste once the dish is done cooking, or it can be completely omitted- it may not have the exact same flavour as in restaurants but it is not lacking in the flavour department. The spices used range from family to family and town to town but generally the spice blend called garam masala is the component the dish is most dependant upon. Again, even the spice blend itself varies with cooks and regions but it should contain some blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves- give or take a spice or two. These are all warming, aromatic spices that add a lot of depth to the dish. If you already have them all in your cupboard it is easy to whip up your own blend (I added the easy recipe I use with already ground spices below), otherwise pre-made versions are available widely in grocery stores and markets. The spices are an integral component of Indian cuisine, and even when it is not perfectly authentic, the fresher and better quality the spices, the better the dish itself will be.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other vegetable oil of choice)
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green chillies, chopped finely (remove seeds for less spiciness or use jalapeños instead for extra spiciness)
- 2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced (from a piece around the size of a thumb)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (if they are whole or diced just pulse them a couple times in a blender or food processor)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Sea salt
- Optional serving additions: lemon wedges for some acidity, chopped cilantro for some freshness
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the onion and sautée for 3 minutes, until it starts to soften and become translucent. Add in the garlic, chillies and ginger and continue to sautée for another 2 minutes. Add in the garam masala and sautée for one final minute, to bring out the spices' flavour. Add in the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth and tomato paste and stir to combine. Leave to simmer (heat still on medium) for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point there will still be lots of sauce, for a dryer version let it cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed- since the tomatoes and broth can contain quite it bit it is better to work up to the right amount instead of making it too salty. Serve over brown rice for a complete meal and top with cilantro and/or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- Blend all the powders together and store in an airtight container.
