Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by Erika Penzer
penzer@Panix.ComIndian-Style Chick PeasIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 large onion, chopped coarsely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon each cumin,
2 cans chickpeas (about 3 1/2 cups I think)
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoon no-fat tomato paste (if I can't find this, I boil down tomato sauce until its thickened)
2 teaspoon peanut butter
Directions:Saute onion and garlic in nonstick pot until slightly browned. Add Indian spices and cook about 30 seconds, or until spices start to give off wonderful smells and turn slightly brown. Add chick peas WITH HALF THEIR LIQUID if canned, with some cooking broth if cooked from scratch. Add lemon juice and tomato paste. Cook about 10 minutes, to let chickpeas heat through. Stir in peanut butter and cook a few minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.
This was a bit dry, so I added a lot more of the broth from the chick peas. Also some hot peppers make it execellent! I also sauteed my onions and garlic in real butter, YUM!
Archived comment by: daniel
You could take some of the chickpeas when half cooked and blend them in the blender for about 15-20 seconds. Add it back to the pan, you'll get a good gravy. Add tomatoes and chile peppers after onions for extra taste. The dish is called Chana and Chana Masala powders are available in India grocery stores.
Archived comment by: padmaja
This is great! ive made this about four or five times and its come out great every time. try this, its really nice:)
Archived comment by: annie
I think there was an error in this recipe. It says add the spices but all I see is one spice, cumin.
Archived comment by: violet
This is the furthest thing from an Indian rescipe...especially the peanut butter...not used in Indian cooking ever!
Archived comment by: nikki7771
P.S. They don't have pasta sauce - nor do they use Italian spices ...which of course is what flavored your sauce....Please don't call this Indian....it would be like calling Pizza made in Africa New YOrk style!
Archived comment by: nikki7771
I am South Indian and my Indian cooking tends to be very simple - I frequently use canned tomatoes and sauce in place of the fresh. I also add peanut sauce (we use a LOT of ground peanuts in our cooking, and peanut butter is a pretty close subsitute) to a lot of my curries and when I don't have the time to grind the peanuts, I add peanut butter (though I've never added peanut sauce to chana masala). So, I wouldn't be too hard on the person who posted the recipe, which does look like an adapted version of Chana Masala.
Archived comment by: aparna
I can't wait to try this. Looks delicious. Nikki, since when are cumin and garlic exclusively Italian spices?
Archived comment by: cerise
I also added some extra fluid. For the incomplete spice list, I added 1/2t garam masala and 1/2t curry. Came out excellent. I would make this dish again. (Even my 2.5 year old fussy eater ate some!)
Archived comment by: olfac87
AND....since when does bickering about just what's Indian and what's not pertain at all to commenting on the adequacy or wonder of one given recipe? If you must fight, fight about something worthwhile. I'm a journalism major; disregard my opinion.
Archived comment by: unceasingcelery
P.S. (So as not to display hypocrisy) The chickpeas were sensational. But going by my #1 rule regarding cooking, add Tabasco.
Archived comment by: unceasingcelery
Thank you, Erika, for this recipe that is adapted to ingredients that are readily available in the US. I love Indian style food, and would love to make this....please though, tell us what those missing spices are!
Archived comment by: sirFartsAlot
I made this recipe because, as a poor student, I don't have so much food in my cupboard and I had all the ingredients. I was a little scared at first, but it turned out really yummy! True that if you add Tabasco, its even better! As good as Pataks in a jar!
Archived comment by: anhedonie
ok nikki7771, give them a break its a name not a copyright, it looks like a really good recipe and i was wondering if you could use other kinds of beans in this?
Archived comment by: snoopychuck
This has fast become one of my favorites. I especially like it with roasted broccoli florets - just toss them with some rasped ginger and toasted peanut oil, and stick them in the oven at 400 degrees. I usually cook mine between 15 and 25 minutes, and add them to the stir fry right at the end.
Archived comment by: turnerl
sometimes when were out of tomato paste, we cut a little ketchup with braggs liquid aminos (or liquid smoke) and hot sauce (sriracha is my favorite!).
Archived comment by: toxic_bebop
