Spicy Sour Chickpea Masala

This is a slight variation on this one of the first recipes seen here on Lisa’s Kitchen. That was in March 2007, the very first day my blog went live.

Why do I keep doing that? It certainly won’t make me rich, unless you look at the many lovely people I’ve met through my ventures here. The food, that’s what it’s all about. Of course I don’t make something different every time I cook, but starting Lisa’s Kitchen has certainly broadened my horizons. So while I pursue my passion for cooking, I can share this with others who also believe that a healthy vegetarian diet is important, but it should also be delicious.

Before I started blogging, this recipe was often on the menu, and if I have one regret about keeping this space, it’s that many cherished, time-tested recipes no longer appear on the table as often — oh, and I often have to waiting for the food because I’m trying to take pictures of the food. But you can only eat so much on any given day, and with all the cookbooks on my shelves and recipes from other sites bookmarked, I don’t really need to say anything more, except that this is a classic recipe that works especially well if you make your own garam masala And chat masala.

That’s another thing I’ve learned from years of cooking Indian food: There’s no comparison between spice blends you buy at the store and spice blends you make in the comfort of your own kitchen.

What I especially like about this simple and flavorful dish, aside from the spiciness, is the tart and tart flavor of the lemon, onion, and ginger. Adding most of the onion, chillies, ginger and juice at the end further improves the dish in texture and flavour.

Spicy Sour Chickpea Masala

Recipe from Lisa Turner
Kitchen: Indonesian
published on May 27, 2014

Classic spicy chickpea curry with a bold, fresh, sour taste due to the addition of onions, peppers and ginger marinated in lemon juice at the end

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
3 medium onions, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
2 to 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons (3 tablespoons)
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 medium vine ripe tomatoes, cut into pieces
1 medium vine ripe tomato, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon homemade garam masala
1 teaspoon homemade chat masala
1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Rinse the chickpeas and soak them overnight in a few inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added to help the peas break down. Drain and rinse, then place in a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the cooking liquid.
In a medium bowl, combine half the chopped onions with the salt, peppers, ginger and lemon juice. Put aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the mustard seeds to the pan and stir and fry until they start to splutter and pop. Stir in the remaining onions and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to brown around the edges. Add the coriander, cumin and turmeric and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir for 6 minutes or until the tomatoes are reduced and thickened.
Now add the chickpeas, 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, garam masala, chat masala, amchoor (if using) and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if desired.
Remove from heat and add the onion, salt, chilli, ginger and lemon juice mixture. Stir to combine and serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

Other spicy Indian chickpea dishes to try from my vegetarian kitchen:
Kashmiri chickpeas with mushrooms
Chickpeas smothered in a spicy tomato gravy
Chickpeas in a creamy coconut-tamarind gravy
Chickpea Vindaloo

At the top of the reading pile: Gogol

Audio guidance: Higher Intelligence Service

Reference By: www.foodandspice.com