Chana masala, served with quinoa makes for a wholesome and filling vegetarian/vegan meal. This is an easier and quicker version, which is loved by the whole family.
Chana masala is not only one of mine, but also my kids’ favorite meal. Traditionally made by using dried chickpeas which are soaked overnight and then boiled before adding spices to them. This quicker version makes use of pre-boiled canned chickpeas which saves us a lot of time and effort. Make sure to use one, that is free of preservatives and added sugar. I like using Bonduelle bio chickpeas for this, which only contains chickpeas, water and salt. Feel free to use any other brand that you like.
Quinoa makes for a great substitute for rice. It has a similar texture to rice which provides a good base for curries. Quinoa contains all the nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Because of the high fiber and protein content of quinoa, it has a relatively low glycemic index, making it a great choice for those predisposed to diabetes and those trying to lose weight. I like using the bio, tricolor quinoa from the brand schneekoppe from Aldi (pictured above, it looks colorful to serve and is a bit more nutritious than the monocolor one). You can also use the monocolored one, which is also same in taste.
Here is the video recipe; written recipe below:
Chana Masala with quinoa
Ingredients
For Chana Masala:
- 4 cans of 300 grams boiled chickpeas (Bonduelle bio from Edeka)
- 1 medium onion
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes (from aldi) (substitute: 2 chopped tomatoes or 1 cup tomato puree)
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder (adjust to preferred spice level)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 2-3 Tbsp oil
For quinoa:
- 2 cups bio tricolor quinoa (brand Schneekoppe from Aldi)
- 3 cups vegetable stock (substitute: water)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
For quinoa:
- Put the quinoa into a strainer and wash under running water for a few minutes to remove the bitter top layer.
- Shake off excess water, then transfer to a pot.
- Add 3 cups of stock/ water and salt. Cover and let cook on medium low heat for 30 minutes.
For chana masala:
- Heat oil on medium heat in a pot.
- Thinly slice the onion.
- Add the onion to the pot and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes/ tomato puree, all the spices and salt.
- Mix well and let cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, wash and peel the potatoes. Dice in about 2 cm pieces.
- Add the potatoes to the pot. Mix and let cook for on low heat for another 5 minutes.
- Drain the excess water from chickpea cans by putting into a strainer and wash them under running water for a few seconds.
- Add the chickpeas to the pot, along with 2 cups of water. Mix well.
- Cover and let cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, stir the chickpeas and crush some of the chickpeas using a hand masher or a spatula.
- Cover and let cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat, add the kasuri methi and mix well.
- Serve alongside quinoa. Spice it up with some coriander chutney.
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