The mild flavor of potato and chickpea is a wonderful contrast to the stronger flavors of spices such as garam masala, ginger, and citrus.
INGREDIENTS
Chana masala
1 pot of chickpeas
2 small potatoes
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 chilli
fresh ginger
parsley or coriander
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons of tomato paste, crushed
2 glasses of water (500ml.)
salt and pepper
olive oil
PREPARATION
First, we chop the onion and garlic, and cut the potatoes into cubes. We rinse the chickpeas under the tap in a colander to remove the preserved flavor.
We put on the fire a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Sauté the chilli a little, pressing so that it releases the hot pepper in the oil. (If you don't want a spicy dish, don't include the chilli) Next, add the onion and garlic, which we poach over low heat. When they are beginning to change color, we also add the potato.
When the potato is beginning to change color and soften, add the chickpeas as well.
We cut a piece of approximately 1cm thick of the ginger root and we grate it on top of the stew.
We also add the juice of half a lemon and spices to the stew. We stir well to mix the flavors and then we add the water. We raise the heat a little and let all the liquid absorb, stirring from time to time.
When the liquid has been absorbed, we lower the heat again. Add the crushed tomato paste to the stew and stir well until it is fully integrated. Cook for a couple more minutes over low heat.
Finally we add the coriander, or failing that, the parsley and it is ready to serve!
The video below is about the original recipe of Chana Masala without potatoes.