Chickpea Masala - 30 minutes

The Ultimate Warming Curry Oasis

If you're new to plant-based eating, just know that any dish that includes chick peas as an ingredient (Exhibit A), is a great place to start. Chickpeas are considered a legume and it was originally cultivated in the Mediterranean, Middle East and some African countries. They are also called Garbanzo Beans or Bengal Gram and are super high in fiber, healthy fats, good carbohydrates, protein and other vitamins and minerals. Some of those vitamins and minerals are Folate (Vitamin B9), Phosphorus, Iron, Calcium, Zinc and several B Vitamins. These bad boys are also naturally gluten-free, extremely versatile and grabs on to flavor really well. You can make curries with chick peas, falafel's, hummus, chickpea pancakes, you can roast them and add them to salads, you can mash it to make a chickpea tuna sandwich and so much more.

Pro Tip

Use our recipes as inspiration to unlock the master chef in you.

Now, obviously I'm not of Asian descent, however I have spent years learning from some of the best South Indian cooks that anyone could ask for to learn authentic Indian cooking from. I learned how to make Dosa's, Idli's, spice pastes, Roti's, Masala's and more. Those experiences have molded my cooking style and I hope it inspires you to make your own versions of these dishes. Use recipes as inspiration to unlocking the master chef in you.

It's All About the Onions

Indian food is generally all about the onions, meaning you want to brown your onions until they are extremely translucent and fragrant. Fragrant onions are used to grab on to spices and encourage the burning of their burning in order to activate their healing properties. However, this masala requires that you prepare a spice paste that includes your onions.

Quality Chickpeas are Essential

Don't cheat yourself guys. Get quality, organic, non-gmo chickpeas. They are generally very cheap especially if you you purchase them in bulk so don't chicken out and get canned beans, you may experience gas due to phytic acid if you do. I normally purchase mine from my local organic market--Mom's Organic Market or I'll try nuts.com. They have all organic on-gmo beans, legumes, nuts and seeds for the low low.

Chickpea Masala Recipe

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For the Chickpeas:

1 cup soaked and cooked chick peas or 1-1/2 can

For the Masala: 1 large onion 3-4 garlic cloves 4 tbsp fresh ginger 1/4-1/2 tsp Red chili pepper (depending on how hot you want it) 1 tbsp turmeric 1 tbsp cumin 3 tbsp garam Masala 1 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1/4 cup soaked and peeled almonds 1 cup fresh cilantro

Blend all the ingredients for the Masala. Use a spatula to get it out of the blender and into a jar. It should fill a small jelly jar.

Step-by-Step Instructions

For the Sauce: 1 cup fresh coconut milk or 1 can 4 plum tomatoes 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1/2 tsp cumin 2 tsp tomato paste ___ Blend all of the ingredients for the sauce and put it to the side. ___ Add 1 tbsp coconut oil to a pan, once it melts add 3 tbsp of the Masala and let cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the drained chick peas to the cooked Masala. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, stir and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Plate over quinoa or rice and serve with fresh cilantro and greens.

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