Cheapskate’s chana masala

This delicious vegan curry is a quick and easy dinner that you could serve as a main (with rice or chapatis), or as a side to a large family dinner. Using three tins of veg, an onion, some spices and the customary ginger and garlic pastes, it’s low-effort and ready in under half an hour.

Many chana masala recipes espouse using fresh chillis and blending them with the onion to create a paste. If you feel so inclined and don’t mind the extra washing up, go right ahead. I finely chopped my onions and use dried chilli flakes.

If you’re usually especially cheap tinned tomatoes (as I was), give the sauce a taste and consider adding a teaspoon of sugar. This depends entirely on your tastes, but it can help bring out the flavour.

You could make it spicier by adding a full teaspoon of chilis instead of half – remember to take into account how strong yours are. The creamy chickpeas can carry a lot of spice, so don’t be tempted to ease up.

The idea of topping this curry is one I picked up at a pub in Bristol a couple of years ago. There they served small plates of delicious Indian food, often topped with a small handful of Bombay mix. Here, a small sprinkling just before serving adds welcome crunch and an extra layer of aromatic flavour.

Feeds: 2-3

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained (40p/ea, ASDA)
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes (28p, ASDA)
  • 2 x small onions (or 1 large), any colour
  • 1tsp garlic puree
  • 1tsp ginger puree
  • 1tbsp oil
  • 1tsp table salt
  • 1tsp turmeric
  • 1tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2tsp hot chilli flakes

To serve:

  • Chapatis
  • Bombay mix (75p/325g, ASDA)

Method:

  1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and gently fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
  2. Add the onions and sweat down for 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add the seasoning and spices. Cook for 2 minutes, then tip in the tomatoes and stir comprehensively.
  4. Add the chickpeas and 400ml of hot water, then bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cover with a lid.
  5. Cook for 18-20 minutes with the lid on. If you like the sauce a little thicker, combine a teaspoon of cornflour with two of water, then tip into the pan for the final 2 minutes of cooking.
  6. Serve topped with a handful of Bombay mix.

 

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