Chickpeas can save the world!

The mighty chickpea is one of the world's most versatile legumes. Also known as the garbanzo bean, chana dal, bengal gram, this versatile bean is used to make everything from falafel and hummus to gluten-free flour. One of my favorite ways to use the chickpea is in Chana Masala. Chana Masala is a traditional Indian dish which loosely translates to spicy chickpeas.

How to cook a chickpea

Cooking dried bean used to intimidate me. But cooking beans from scratch really does taste better than canned beans which always have that slightly metallic taste. Dried beans are also cheaper which is always a plus in my book. You do have to soak dried beans for about six hours. I just put 1 cup of beans in a bowl and cover them with water before I go to work in the morning and there soaked and ready by the time I get home. Then you need to drain and rinse the beans. DO NOT COOK THEM IN THE SOAKING LIQUID!!! Why you ask? When you soak the beans you're helping to dissolve some of the sugar. Many people think that gas caused by beans is from fiber but its actually from sugar which is digested by bacteria in our gut. So soak, rinse and don't worry about farting! After you've soaked and rinsed just place the chickpeas in a pot of water, bring to a boil and then leave to cook for about 40 minutes. I like to add a bay leaf for some flavor. Voila!

Once you've cooked your chickpeas you're ready to make some masala. You will need...

2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 onion grated
4 clove of garlic minced
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Heat up some canola oil in a large skillet. Traditional Indian cooking may use Ghee (NOT VEGAN) or mustard seed oil (where the heck can you buy that), but I think canola oil is perfectly fine for cooking at home on a weeknight. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices. It is important to fry the spices a little first because it releases more of the flavor and aroma. Once the onion and garlic start to get soft and translucent add the chickpeas, tomatoes and lemon juice. The mixture will look dry at first but the longer you let it cook, the more the tomatoes start to release their juice and everything will come together nicely. I like to simmer for about 10-15 minutes so all the flavors have time to meld together. Serve over basmati rice or with naan.

This meal got two thumbs up from my friend and blogger extraordinaire Katie, over at Date Me DC!