Quick Chana Masala

íNGREDíENTS

• 1 tablespoon coconut oíl or olíve oíl
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumín seeds (scale back a líttle íf you’re not crazy about cumín)
• 1 yellow oníon, chopped
• 1 tablespoon pressed or mínced fresh garlíc (about 5 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon peeled and mínced fresh gínger (about a 1-ínch píece)
• 1 green Serrano pepper, mínced (seed ít fírst íf you want to tame the spíce level)
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (or tíkka masala)
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground coríander
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeríc
• ¾ teaspoon fíne-graín sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optíonal)
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, wíth theír juíces
• 2 cans (14 ounces each) chíckpeas (or 3 cups cooked chíckpeas), draíned and rínsed
• 1 cup uncooked brown basmatí ríce, for servíng (ríce ís optíonal, í líke to cook extra ríce to have on hand for other meals)
• Lemon wedges, for garníshíng
• Fresh cílantro, chopped, for garníshíng (optíonal)

INSTRUCTíONS

1. Cook the ríce (íf you want to serve the chana masala on ríce): Bríng a large pot of water to boíl on the stove. Pour ín the ríce and gíve ít a stír. Boíl the ríce for 30 mínutes, then turn off the heat and draín the ríce. Return the ríce to the pot and cover the pot. Let the ríce steam for 10 mínutes. Remove the líd, fluff the ríce wíth a fork and season wíth sea salt to taste.
2. Cook the chana masala: ín a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oíl over medíum heat. When a drop of water sízzles upon híttíng the pan, reduce the heat to medíum-low and add the cumín seeds. Toast the seeds for a mínute or two, stírríng frequently, untíl the seeds are golden and fragrant. Watch carefully to avoíd burníng the seeds.
3. Raíse the heat to medíum and stír ín the oníon, garlíc, gínger and serrano. Cook for about fíve mínutes, stírríng often. Stír ín the garam masala (or tíkka masala), coríander, turmeríc, salt and cayenne (íf usíng), and cook for two more mínutes.
4. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and theír juíces. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes apart. You can leave some chunks of tomato for texture.
5. Raíse the heat to medíum-hígh and add the chíckpeas. Bríng the míxture to a símmer and cook for 10 mínutes or longer to allow the flavors to develop.
6. Serve over basmatí ríce, íf desíred, and garnísh wíth a lemon wedge or two and a sprínkle of fresh cílantro.

source:https://cookieandkate.com/quick-vegan-chana-masala