Channa Masala (Chickpeas Masala)

We are on an indian food kick at the moment. There are a number of fantastic vegetarian options plus the girls love it. We are lucky to have two toddlers who have an affinity for strong flavors. You can add some heat (red chili powder) if you choose but we opted out because of the kids.

3 tbs vegetable or peanut oil
2 cans drained chick peas
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 large onion chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks (you can pre cook for faster results)
3 cloves garlic minced
1 one inch piece of ginger minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp salt
2 tbs garam masala (store bought)
2 bay leaves
3 cups water
1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot. Heat over medium flame. Add cumin seeds and toast until popping. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomato with liquid on medium high heat for 5 more minutes and then add the spices: salt, garam masala, turmeric, bay leaves. Add cooked potatoes and cover simmering for about 10 minutes until potatoes are very soft. If you have not precooked then simmer until cooked through. Add the chickpeas and cover for another 10 minutes. Finally add clantro and mix through. Leave covered for 5 minutes. Serve over rice or with naan. For the meat lovers, we are trying some tandoori chicken in the oven next week to serve along side this dish. Stay tuned for that adventure in cooking...

The best thing about this recipe is that there are plenty of leftovers to reheat another day of the week.

Cranky Cook aggravation rating: ** out of 5 stars

The rating above has to do with the ease of cooking and hence the crankiness of the cook during preparation. No domestic disturbance to report on this one. hahahaha.