Yummy Chana (Chole) Masala!

"She put her love in to every thing she made."

Chana Masala is one of my favorite dishes and I think I just figured out how to make it exactly how I like it. It is with great humbleness that I admit that I know I will never be able to make it like the culinary artist specializing in Indian food at Makkah on the Danforth (Toronto) but I'm happy to say that after eating their chana more than a hundred times, I've come very close. I've been trying to distinguish what goes into their food, while ask myself how they create the delicious celebration of flavors in my mouth. I pledge on behalf of my stomach, I'll continue to enjoy Makkah's delicious chana and every thing else on their menu.

Chana is one of my favourites. It brings me comfort, not just to soul but also to my body. It's a great dish to have alone, with rice, hot naan, especially if you are vegan seeking a good source of protein or just trying to take the occasional break from meat. Besides it's delishousness, there are many benefits to eating this lovely dish loaded with chickpeas, including lowering cholesterol.

The key to making chana is a good garam masala (Indian spice mix). You can find it in grocery stores the homemade version is so much better. Thank God for my beautiful mother in law, Durga, who for at least 16 years of my life, made sure I always had a good supply of her special garam masala. Making it the traditional way, she skillfully combined spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, fennel, chilly peppers, fennel, cloves, and nutmeg that have been roasted and ground. She put her love in to every thing she made.

This chana will make your friends and family drool just from the scent and they'll be begging for more after their first try. Serve it in a bowl on it's own or as a side dish with rice or warm naan (smothered with garlic butter) and enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large or two small onions

4 large cloves of garlic chopped...sometimes I add 6

3 green onions (a.k.a. scallions) chopped

1 tbsp of coriander chopped fresh or 5-6 seeds

2 sprigs of thyme (one sprig to be added whole and add leaves of the other)

1 whole tomato chopped in small cubes

2-3 tbsp garam masala

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin or 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 whole chilly peppers

2 cans chick peas (1/2 of one can to be blended in the food processor)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in the pan on low.

2. Add garlic and onions and let cook slow to infuse the oil for 4 min.

3. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add all the seasonings, including garam masala, paprika, chilly peppers, turmeric, thyme, tomatoes, ginger, thyme, coriander. Stir and cook for a 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the diced tomatoes. Stir, covering the tomatoes with the beautiful flavor.

5. Take a moment to take in the scent. Yum. Your kitchen should be filled with a lovely aroma.

6. Blend half a can of the chick peas in the food processor.

7. Add the blended peas and stir everything up.

8. Add the rest of the chick peas (1 1/2 can) and stir.

9. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then turn it down, cover the pot, and let simmer for about an 1hour.

Let cool down and enjoy. You are going to love this recipe! Let me know if you run into any problems.

Let me know what you think.

Until next time.

Wendy