Chana masala

One thing we're spoiled for where we live is delicious Indian cuisine.  There are a few different places I love going to and whilst each of them has a slightly different recipe, I love the chana masala.  I love chickpeas in general but doing them this way just makes them even more delicious.  There seem to be quite a few different recipes out there, and I know a few recipes call for amchoor and but I didn't have any in the cupboard so I used tamarind powder instead.  You could also use lemon juice if you don't have tamarind.  I make mine quite spicy but you can adjust to suit your own taste.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 medium red onion - diced
• 3 cloves of garlic - crushed
• 2-3 green chillies - diced
• 1 teaspoon of crushed ginger
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 400g cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of tamarind powder (or 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice)
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried mango powder (optional)
• 1 bayleaf
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Handful of chopped coriander & a wedge of lemon to garnish (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil

Recipe

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions
2. As soon as the onions begin to soften, add the chillies and mix well
3. Add the garlic and ginger
4. As soon as the garlic and ginger start to cook, add the powdered spices (and lemon juice if using) & mix well
5. Add the chickpeas and stir into the spices
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, fill the can with water and add to the pan
7. Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer
8. Keep stirring occasionally until cooked
9. Season as required
10. Serve with rice