I have learned that Chana Masala is typically an Indian or Pakastani street food, Chana is hindi for chickpea and Masala refers to spice mix. Chana Masala is usually served either wrapped in a tortilla like flat bread or some other bread for dipping or scooping. However it is served, it is wickedly good. Chana Masala is spicy and a touch warm on the tongue. It is a dish that is loaded with amazing textures, smells and taste. And, it is incredibly easy to make at home, in one dish. I suppose that is why it is a popular street food. Here's how to make it yourself.
Ahead of time soak 2 cups of dry chickpeas. You can even soak them overnight. The longer you soak them, the shorter the cooking time. I soaked ours for about an hour. They were chewable, but still rigid.
1 -
In a large skillet with 4 tablespoons of hot oil saute:
1 medium onion - diced
4 medium cloves of garlic - diced
1/2 diced pepper. Here you can take your pick of peppers. Hot, Sweet, etc.
Cook down the above ingredients until soft.
2 -
Now comes the Masala (spice mix). Add the following ingredients to the hot pan and mix into something that resembles a paste. A little oil can be added if necessary, but don't worry too much about the consistency here.
3 tblsp Curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
There are also different masala mixes you can purchase if you don't wish to purchase all of the different spices. 3-4 tablespoons of the masala mix would probably suffice.
3 - Add the soaked chickpeas to the masala mixture and then cover with water. Simmer on medium heat until a good bubble is started and then reduce heat and cook until the chickpeas are mushy or to the consistency you desire. The finished dish should have a chickpeas in thick gravy consistency. If you've added too much water, just cook it down until you have what you're looking for.
The tortilla recipe can easily be found online or purchased at the grocery store or bakery. Tortillas are terribly easy to make at home though, so I hope you'll try it. A good flour for tortillas would be Park Wheat
