Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

I recently attended a seminar on fibre and the highlights can be summed up in two points - fibre is absolutely essential in our diets and North Americans do not consume enough. Hot on the heels of this seminar, I decided that we were going to have chickpeas for dinner. Being South Asian, legumes are a substantial part of our diet, it is a complete protein when combined with rice, is easy to make and very versatile. My mum always soaks legumes in water overnight and boils it in a pressure cooker the following day and I continue her practice. The pressure cooker is invaluable, this nifty gadget cooks everything in a matter of minutes, a reverse slow cooker. If you do not own one, I highly recommend it - a true time saver. 

Skill Level: Easy  

Serves:4 - 6

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 can of chickpeas (946 mL)
• 2  large onions chopped
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 1 inch piece of grated ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1/3 cup of tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala (finally  you get to use the garam masala  recipe I posted weeks ago)
• 1/4 teaspoon amchoor powder (dried unripe green mango powder - found at Indian stores or at the international/ethnic section at most grocery stores). Is sour and tart. Lime or lemon juice can be used as a substitute
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. If using the conventional method, soak 1 cup of chickpeas in water overnight. Pressure cook or boil the following day until soft. If using canned chickpeas, drain the liquid and wash in cold water and set aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and saute onions ginger and garlic until brown
3. Add all the powdered spices and  tomato puree cook for a minute or two
4. Add the  chickpeas and stir until it is well coated in the onion and spice mixture
5. Pour 3/4 cup of water, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer
6. Add the rest of the water if needed - depending on the consistency desired (I use more liquid if serving with rice and less for flatbread like pita, naan or roti
7. Check seasoning and adjust as needed. Add coriander leaves before serving