Chickpea Tikka Masala

Indian is probably my favorite cuisine. Naan, samosas, pakora – it is all just so good. But until recently I had never really experimented with cooking Indian food at home. When I became a vegetarian three years ago, the hardest thing I had to give up was my favorite Indian dish: chicken tikka masala, a mildly spiced dish made with a tomato cream sauce. Oh, how I have missed that sauce. I got the idea to recreate this dish using chickpeas, instead of chicken – kind of similar to chana masala. I was surprisingly satisfied with how it turned out. This sauce is definitely going to be a staple from this day forward! You can put your own spin on this recipe by doing away with the chickpeas entirely, adding different vegetables, cashews and/or raisins.

Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Dietary Info: Gluten-free

1 15 oz. can tomato purée

1 cup cream

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons paprika

Cayenne pepper
Note: 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon for a MILD dish- or- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon for a SPICY dish

Pinch of garam masala (optional)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

1-2 tablespoons of ghee, butter or oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

1. Start by heating ghee, butter or oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, add garlic, salt and spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Next, add tomato purée and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and cream, simmering for about 10 more minutes or until sauce is thickened. Note: Now is a good time to cook your rice.

3. Lastly, add chickpeas and cilantro and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!