chana masala

until recently, i'd put off making chana masala from scratch (anything with a long list of ingredients automatically intimidates me). i'm so grateful to have it in my recipe arsenal now, as drew came down with a wicked cold this past weekend and i've been doing my best not to catch it. i whipped up a batch the other day, and i'm hoping the lemon, garlic, ginger, turmeric and cayenne that help make this dish so delicious will also help keep this impending cold at bay!

chana masala adapted from smitten kitchen

1 tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
1 yellow onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cayenne
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garam masala
2 cups fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 cup water
1 (or 2, depending on how thick you want it) 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon

in a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat, then add onion, garlic and ginger. stir occasionally for about five minutes, or until the mixture has started to brown. turn heat down to medium-low and add coriander, cayenne, turmeric, paprika and garam masala. stir the spices constantly for about a minute or two, then add tomatoes and their juices to the mixture, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. next, add water and chickpeas. simmer uncovered for about ten minutes, then stir in lemon juice and salt. serve over brown rice with fresh cilantro for garnish.