A Beautiful Bowl...of Chana Masala

I stared for a long time at this beautiful bowl that my friend Francesco lovingly made by hand, trying to figure out what dish would most appropriately fulfill its destiny.  One thing was certain -- this bowl most definitely longed to be filled with something spicy, and HOT.

My head immediately went to India.  Francesco has traveled extensively there, and Indian food, while not really part of my culinary repertoire, has long been among my favorite cuisines (thanks to the Samtani family!).  Moreover, Indian cuisine includes many exciting, healthy, and flavorful vegan dishes, making it an especially appealing VB6 option.  Plus I was in luck because my "peachy" friend Sheila had recently given me her top secret Indian curry recipe as a birthday gift, and along with it, an amazing array of Indian spices. And while Sheila's curry recipe -- which is phenomenal, by the way! -- definitely goes with me to the grave, I decided the spices were fair game, as they included just what I needed to make a fabulously spicy and delicious Chana Masala.

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To make Chana Masala, first I measure out and prepare the spices, as there are many!  They include 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of Indian chilli powder (you can substitute cayenne pepper).  These four ingredients can be combined as they are added into the dish at the same time.  To the extent I have the whole spices on hand (in this case whole coriander and cumin), I like to grind them fresh, for a deeper flavor, but of course pre-ground spices are certainly fine.  

Separately I measure out 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, which I toast in a hot dry frying pan for several minutes, shaking constantly so that they don't burn.  

Finally, I measure out and combine 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, as these three ingredients will also be added to the dish at the same time.  I also gather the remaining ingredients -- a 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, 1 white onion, 1 Roma tomato, 1 Serrano pepper, a chunk of fresh ginger, 1 clove of fresh garlic, and half a lemon.

I start by chopping the onion and sautéing it in 2 teaspoons of light olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until it is tender, and then I add in the first round of spices (the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, and chilli powder), and I cook everything together for a minute or so.

Next I chop up the Roma tomato, sprinkle it with just a bit of sea salt (to enhance the flavor of the tomato), and stir it in with the onions and spices.

Then I rinse, drain, and add in the garbanzo beans, along with 1/2 cup of water.

I let that cook on a low simmer for a few minutes, and then I stir in about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice along with the toasted cumin seeds and the remaining spices (the paprika, garam masala, and sea salt), cover the pot, and let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes.  

While that's cooking, I remove the seeds and chop up the Serrano pepper into tiny pieces, and I grate about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger, toss both into the pot, and let everything simmer on a very low heat while the flavors marry -- about another 30 minutes or so.

I serve the Chana Masala with a side of basmati rice, and for Francesco I include a spicy Serrano pepper to chomp on -- just divine!

બોન એપેટીટ

Garbanzo Beans with Padron Peppers and Heirloom Tomatoes

This easy to prepare dish is completely vegan and out of this world.  What really elevates this version are the  garbanzo beans that I picked up from the sprout man at the Santa Monica farmers market, but you can certainly substitute dried beans that have been pre-soaked and cooked, according to package directions, or even canned garbanzos, and get delicious results.

I start off by removing only the hard stems from 10-15 Padron peppers, leaving the pods intact.  Next I drizzle them with just a bit of olive oil and sea salt, toss them around, and place them in a hot frying pan and let them sizzle until they are blistered and just tender (about 5 minutes).  Now I recommend popping one in your mouth (because they are so good!) and reserving the rest for the dish.

Next, I peel and slice three beautiful heirloom tomatoes and one white onion, like so.  Always salt the tomatoes after slicing to enhance their flavor.

I heat up about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven.  (As you may have noticed, I am not terribly precise when it comes to measurements, as my recipes generally do not require precision.)  I saute the sliced onions in the olive oil for a few minutes until they are a bit tender, and then I add the tomatoes and let them cook together over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Then I add the blistered Padron peppers (whole), and just a tiny amount of tomato paste.  (Note the Padron peppers are so good, but they are not necessarily easy to track down, so of course feel free to substitute any peppers at all, such as Poblanos, Anaheims, or even bell peppers.  If you do substitute, just slice them up into long strips and saute them right along with the onions.)

I actually started adding whole peppers, or long strips of sliced pepper, to stews and chili when my boys were very young.  That way I could get my pepper fix while still having the ability to easily fish them out of the boys' bowls.  I soon developed a real preference for the larger more flavorful bites, and I've continued to cook that way -- long since my boys' palates have matured. 

Finally, I add the Garbanzo beans and seasonings, which include 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic sliced very thin (or a few dashes of garlic powder), 1 teaspoon of freshly ground cumin seeds (it's fine to substitute cumin powder), a bit of spicy red pepper to taste, and salt and black pepper to taste.

I cover the mixture with enough water to just cover the beans, bring everything to a boil, and simmer for at least an hour so that the beans are tender and the water reduces.  Then I taste and adjust the spices as needed and let everything continue to cook, if necessary, until the desired tenderness is reached.

Delicious on its own, in a big soup bowl with a hearty piece of bread for dipping, or served with brown rice, white rice, or rice pilaf and a simple salad (as depicted above), this combination of garbanzo beans, Padron peppers, and heirloom tomatoes is classic vegan, packed with protein and all kinds of other good stuff, and bursting with deliciousness!