chana punjabi

I look forward to the New York Times weekly food section with a considerable amount of excitement. Sad? Maybe, but I'm okay with that. I love the simple yet sophisticated recipes they lean toward; more often than not they nail it right on the head.

Of particular interest recently was a chickpea curry offered up by chef Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez of Lassi in NYC. She claimed this was her favourite dish at the restaurant and often finds herself sitting down to a bowl of it when looking for comfort and sustenance.

When I read over the recipe I knew I had to make it, like, yesterday. There's one thing I'll lay out for you right now before you think you can get this on the table in 30 minutes or less: it takes a total of 1-1/2 hours to bring to the table. Pleeeease don't be scared off. Only about half an hour of that is actual hands-on work; the rest is stovetop simmering, requiring you to give it a stir every 10 minutes or so. It is so worth it. It satisfies in the way that a bowl of soup does when the cold penetrates your bones, yet the flavours and aromas bring to mind colourful saris and crippling hot weather. I'm not saying you'll feel like you just returned from a vacation in the subcontinent after setting down your fork (or spoon...or right hand), but there's something transportive about the sweet spice in the air that helps takes the edge off of these last days of winter. If only for a moment.

chana punjabi

Adapted from New York Times, March 4, 2009

Serves 4

Curries tend to intimidate people because the ingredient lists are usually quite long. I know I used to feel that way, but I've learned to review the instructions as a barometer for the labour and time required instead. As with all recipes, get everything set out and prepped beforehand so you're not scrambling once the pot is on the burner.

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 small Thai bird chili, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped  (or 5-6 canned plum tomatoes, drained & chopped)
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt, or as needed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp minced cilantro (optional)
Cooked rice for serving (optional).

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil and add onion. Sauté until translucent
and soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and chili, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 3
minutes. Add tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until tomatoes are very soft, about 5
minutes, then remove from heat.

Purée mixture in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pan and place over medium
heat. Add paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, coriander, garam masala and turmeric and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and chickpeas and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer until sauce is thick and chickpeas are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir pan
about every 10 minutes, adding water as needed (up to 1 1/2 cups) to prevent burning. When
ready to serve, sauce should be thick (but not pasty). If necessary, uncover pan and allow sauce to reduce for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until desired consistency. Adjust salt as needed, and stir in cilantro, if desired. Serve as is or with cooked rice.

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