Chana Masala (Tomato-Chickpea Curry)

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or vegetable oil 1 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or vegetable oil (opens in new tab) 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 pound butter

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Melt in a saucepan over low heat: 1 pound butter
  2. Once melted, do not stir. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface.
  3. For clarified butter, remove from the heat after the foaming ceases. Let stand a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid into a heatproof container, leaving the solids behind, or pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or flour sack towel.
  4. For ghee, continue heating the butter over the lowest heat possible, keeping it below a simmer until golden and brown milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pan. This can take up to 1 hour. At this slow rate, the milk solids settle nicely. Pour or strain into a container as for clarified butter.
  5. Both can be stored in an airtight container for 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator. When chilled, clarified butter and ghee become grainy. They should not be used as a spread, only in cooking.
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
• 2 or more dried small red chiles, seeded and stemmed
• (½ teaspoon ajwain seeds)
• (8 fresh curry leaves)
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 to 3 serrano peppers, to taste, seeded and chopped
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas, or two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Hide ingredients for Cooked basmati rice, Naan, or other flatbread 1 Cooked basmati rice, Naan, or other flatbread (opens in new tab) Cooked basmati rice, Naan, or other flatbread
  • 2 cups (265g) bread flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ⅛ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup plain yogurt (180g) or buttermilk (185g), at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons butter (30g), melted
  • 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon water, as needed
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • (2 tablespoons minced green onions or garlic)
  • (Melted butter)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook: 2 cups (265g) bread flour; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 ⅛ teaspoons active dry yeast
  2. Add: ¾ cup plain yogurt (180g) or buttermilk (185g), at room temperature; 2 tablespoons butter (30g), melted; 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon water, as needed
  3. Mix by hand or on low speed until a soft ball of dough forms. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
  4. Position a rack in the lowest position in the oven and place a baking stone, steel, or inverted heavy-gauge baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475°F for 45 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll into balls, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out each ball of dough on a very lightly floured surface to an oval 8 to 10 inches long and ¼ inch thick. Brush the tops with: 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  6. If desired, sprinkle on top: (2 tablespoons minced green onions or garlic)
  7. Place as many dough ovals as will fit without touching each other directly on the baking stone, steel, or sheet and bake until each oval is puffy and deeply browned on the bottom, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. If desired, brush the naan with: (Melted butter)
  8. Place in a cloth-lined basket and keep covered. Bake the remaining breads. Serve warm.
• Chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Hide ingredients for (Yogurt or Raita) 1 (Yogurt or Raita) (opens in new tab) (Yogurt or Raita)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon minced dill
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, minced or grated on a rasp grater

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Whisk together in a medium bowl: 1 cup plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon minced dill; 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish; 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard; 1 garlic clove, minced or grated on a rasp grater
  2. Serve immediately or store, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.