Even though this simple dish only takes 20 minutes to cook, it certainly does not compromise on flavour and taste. Channa Masala is an Indian chickpea meal in a spicy tomato and onion gravy. It’s a stable vegan dish that will have many variations, but the balance of spices is the key to the finished result.
As this is a quick and easy meal we managed to include some dancing and a handstand within our video. Life at MoaAlm Mountain Retreat seems to involve the occasional interpretive dance move and often being upside down. Even though these things are not really essential to making a great meal, we find that they add an extra bit of spice to the cooking process.
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 diced Onion
• 1 cm Grated fresh ginger
• 2 crushed cloves of Garlic
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• 1 pinch Cinnamon
• 400g Can of Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 800g Cooked chickpeas or two tins of chickpeas
• 400g Can of Coconut milk
• 1 tsp Miso paste or 1/2 tsp salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
Heat the oil in a big frying pan, when hot, add the onion and stir until softened. Next add ginger and garlic to the pan, stirring continuously for two minutes. Then add all the dry spices and stir for about one minute. Add tomatoes and tomato paste, put the lid on the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat. Now it's time to add chickpeas and coconut milk, letting the dish simmer for a further 10 minutes to get a creamy consistency. Finally add the lemon and miso paste, or salt.
We like to serve with rice, spelt, quinoa or naan bread. To be honest, we also just love to just have a bowl of plain Chana Masala with a large spoon!
If you have a variation of Chana Masala that you favour, maybe you can share it with us? It will give us an excuse to make it even more often than we already do at WearActive Austria and at WearActive Croatia. Remember to tag #relaxinglyactive with all your social media postings related to our recipes. If you make a video making the recipe we would love to see it!