Chana Masala (Savory Indian Chickpeas)

As much as I love Indian food, prior to today I had never tried Chana Masala (Savory Indian Chickpeas). Lately I’ve been doing a bit of experimenting with chickpeas (you may remember my Lemony Salmon with Spiced Chickpeas recipe from last week), and thought I would give this a try. I quite enjoyed it! I had it as a main dish along with Cilantro Rice, but I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it as a side, or have it as a featured dish on an Indian buffet. Next time, to add a touch of sweetness, I’m going to serve it with raisin-studded Mediterranean Rice Pilaf, a recipe that I will be sharing soon.

Chana Masala (Savory Indian Chickpeas)
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 medium yellow onion, rough chopped
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 (1.5 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 medium cloves garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Pinch Kosher salt
1 9-oz. pkg. Melissa’s Peeled & Steamed Garbanzo Beans
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Place onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño in a food processor and process until smooth.

Heat olive oil in a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry bay leaves in hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the puréed vegetables into the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and salt; cook and stir until very hot, 3 to 4 minutes.

Bring to a boil and stir garbanzos into the mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook until they are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. 

Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice and garnish with cilantro.

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Another wonderful Indian vegetable side (or main) dish is Butter Cauliflower Bowls. I make this stuff weekly.

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Lemony Salmon and Spiced Chickpeas

A salad for supper, particularly where heartier appetites are concerned, is not always satisfying, unless it is full of calorie-laden additions, and that defeats the purpose.

This easy and beautiful salad is an exception and it’s a breeze to make. I baked my salmon early in the day, allowed it to cool, broke it into pieces, and stored it in the fridge. Then, all I had to do around dinner time, was prepare the chickpeas, slice radishes that I always keep cleaned in the fridge, and toss everything together with pre-washed spinach, topping it all with a bit of crumbled hard-boiled egg (another refrigerator staple). It is hearty, satisfying, tasty, and so good for you.

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious’s new cookbook, COOK90: The 30-Day Plan for Faster, Healthier, Happier Meal. You can grab your copy here. 

Lemony Salmon and Spiced Chickpeas

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 (¾ - 1-lb.) salmon fillet

½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more

Onion powder

Paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

1 9-oz. pkg. Melissa’s Peeled & Steamed Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), rinsed, patted dry

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1½ tsp. za’atar

2 T. fresh lemon juice

4 cups baby spinach

4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

Flaky sea salt

Crumbled hard boiled egg (optional)

Thinly sliced red onion (optional)

Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 300°F. Toss lemon slices in a large bowl with a drizzle of oil. Arrange slices in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Set salmon on lemons. Season salmon all over with kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika, and then drizzle and rub with some oil (about ¼ cup). Roast until salmon is just barely opaque in the middle, 12–17 minutes, depending on thickness. If you like your salmon well-done, cook it a few minutes longer. Let salmon cool, and then flake into medium-size pieces with a fork.

Meanwhile, bring chickpeas, garlic, za’atar, and remaining ¼ cup oil to a bare simmer in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed, 8-10 minutes. Stir in ½ tsp. kosher salt and remove skillet from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chickpeas to a medium bowl, leaving oil behind. Whisk lemon juice into oil; taste dressing and season with more kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper if needed.

Toss spinach in a large bowl with 1 tsp. dressing. Divide among bowls along with radishes, chickpeas, and salmon (and lemons if desired); drizzle with more dressing. Sprinkle with sea salt and more pepper. 

Makes 2 main dish servings.

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A lighter salad using chickpeas is this delicious and refreshing Chickpea, Avocado, and Feta Salad. I could eat this stuff every day.

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