chana masala

we're still trying to eat less meat.

i'm actually missing it less and less for the most part.

except for bacon. 

oh bacon, you little devil-may-care.

i will never be able to resist your wiles.

but back to my improved vegetarian and sometimes vegan ways.

I've been relying primarily on beans to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our week.

black beans, white beans, lentils, kidney beans and chick peas.

they're so diverse in taste and texture, 

besides that they're insanely cheap and more than insanely good for you. 

can't beat that right?

i've tried my hand at doctoring up most of the beans.

except the chick peas.

i blame trader joes.

they have so many varieties of daringly-flavored chick peas.

what's a girl to do?

let it be said, i have no qualms about eating these chick peas on a very regular basis.

but for a dinner for my parents, well, it just seemed lazy.

i needed to perform a little bit of a fuss.

and chana masala while delicious, spicy and hearty only requires a little bit of fuss.

you should only need to buy these:

and use your well-stocked indian spice cabinet for success.

add in saffron rice, sauteed green beans, indian-spiced tofu and nann for a complete indian feast.

all that in less than an hour.

and hey, your parents might even like it too.

Recipe: Chana Masala (adapted smitten kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with their juices
2/3 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced)

Method:
-Heat oil in a large skillet.
-Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
-Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, paprika and garam masala. -Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
-Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.