One of the things I made this week was this chickpea curry from the Made in India cookbook I got for my birthday. This is the second time I've made it, so we obviously liked it a lot the first time. Meera Sodha says "[y]ou could use canned chickpeas to make this curry, but the dried ones when cooked become so soft that I urge you to try them." I took her up on it the first time and used dried chickpeas, soaking them in the morning so they'd be ready to cook for dinner. And they were really outstanding, soft and creamy just like she said.
I wanted to compare, so this week I used canned chickpeas, and what a difference! It was still good, but the canned chickpeas were a little crunchy and not nearly as delectable as the dried chickpeas [but see the updates below]. I read an interesting article at The Guardian about "how to make the perfect chana masala," where the author suggests a "clever compromise" of simmering the drained, canned chickpeas in water for just 5 minutes to soften them, and then using the cooking water in the curry. I would definitely do that if you're going to use canned chickpeas, but at that point you're not saving much effort, since you're still getting out an extra pan to simmer the chickpeas before cooking the curry. But you do save a little time on the simmering, and you can still make the curry if you forget to soak dried chickpeas in the morning. Of course, a little planning ahead makes for better eating all week long anyway.
Update (4/15/18): I've discovered that softening canned chickpeas is even easier in the microwave. I revised the recipe below to reflect the new method, though you can still boil the chickpeas if you don't have a microwave.
Update #2 (8/17/20): I now have an even more reliable method to ensure that the canned chickpeas are plenty soft: use more liquid and cook the chickpeas longer, part of the time with a lid on. This method has the added benefit of making the dish a little saucier, so there's plenty to soak up with the rice and/or naan you serve it with.
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| The original Chickpea Curry |
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| The improved Chickpea Curry 1.1: softer chickpeas and more sauce |
Time: ~1 hour (using canned chickpeas)
Sodha says the fresh chiles she uses are long, slim, and green (unripe), and are often called "Indian" or "finger" chiles. I have no idea where to find them here, but serrano chiles seem like a good substitute, since they're hotter than jalapeños and Sodha says the Indian chiles are pretty hot. She also says it's easy to figure out how much fresh chile you like by using just a quarter of a chile (with the seeds) the first time you make the recipe, and seeing how you tolerate the heat level. If you want it hotter, add another quarter of a chile the next time, and so on.
1a. For dried chickpeas, put them in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by a few inches (they’ll expand as they soak), and stir in the baking soda. Soak for at least 6 hours. Ideally, you would start soaking the chickpeas the morning of the day you’re making them for dinner. When you’re ready to cook, drain the chickpeas, rinse and drain them again, then cover them with more cold water. Boil until they’re soft but not falling apart, 30 to 45 minutes, occasionally skimming the scum off the top. Set aside.
1b. For canned chickpeas, drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid (aquafaba) from the cans. Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl with 1 cup (235 grams) of the aquafaba, and microwave on high power until very warm, about 1:30 depending on the power of your microwave.
2. Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound the ginger, garlic, green chile, and a pinch of salt into a paste. You can also do this using a chef’s knife if you don’t have a mortar and pestle.
3. Set a large stainless steel skillet or sauté pan (that has a lid) over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onions and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally (a wooden spoon with a flat edge works well here), until the onions begin to soften and darken (but don't burn them), about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the oil and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes more. (Longer is better here, if you have the time and patience.) When the bottom of the pan is glazed with a brown fond, add 1 tablespoon of water and scrape up the browned bits. Repeat as necessary until the onions are caramelized.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and chile paste (from step 2). Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and the chickpeas and aquafaba (use 1 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid if you started with dried chickpeas). Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, stir the garam masala, cumin, chili powder or paprika, turmeric, and 1½ teaspoons salt together in a small prep bowl. Stir the spice mixture into the chickpeas. Continue to cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are softened and the sauce is thickened some, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve promptly over rice and/or with naan bread. Serves 4.
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