Spicy Chickpeas
This recipe comes to us courtesy of FDP team member Paromita, who says, “Growing up in an immigrant family in the U.S. can lead to cultural dissonance, and as a kid that dissonance came to dinner. I wondered why my mom was constantly making me eat mushy dal and bone-ridden fish! But with age I appreciated the flavors of Bengali cuisine. Once you leave the coop, you may find that the foods you once despised are the foods you crave most. The dishes you had staring contests with at the age of 8 are now your go-tos, not because they need to be, but because you want them to be. This is my version of the spicy chickpeas both my mom and dad like to make, and is the definition of Bengali comfort food. Serve as is, or scoop up with warm parantha bread or tortillas.”
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp. garam masala (an Indian spice blend available in most grocery stores)
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
1. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, and turmeric. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chickpeas, water, diced tomatoes, sugar, and salt. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring once every minute, until the sauce begins to dry out.
4. Serve warm, with parantha bread, naan bread, or tortillas. Cilantro leaves make a nice optional garnish.