Chickpea Butter Masala

Ingredients

• 484 g cooked chickpeas — from a large can, save a third of a cup to puree later
• 15 g ginger — 1 inch piece
• 11 g garlic — 4 large cloves
• 390 g tomatoes — 3 large tomatoes or 1.5 cups canned
• 185 g onion — 1 large onion
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder — haldi
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder — heaped, adjust to taste
• 2 tsp ground coriander — dhania powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin — jeera powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves — kasoori methi
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• ½ tbsp thick tomato paste — optional
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 3 to 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup hot water
• ½ cup water — used to blend chickpeas
• ⅓ cup heavy cream — or coconut cream/milk for vegan option
• 1 bunch chopped coriander leaves — cilantro

Steps

1. 1

   In a blender, add tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. Blend until smooth to make a puree.

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2. 2

   In a pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.

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3. 3

   Once the butter melts, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and finely chopped onions. Cook until the onions are light brown.

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4. 4

   Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the onions to help them soften faster.

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5. 5

   Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of thick tomato paste (optional) and cook for 1 minute.

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6. 6

   Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 heaped teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. Fry the spices for a few seconds.

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7. 7

   Add the blended tomato, ginger, and garlic mixture to the pot. Stir and cover, cooking on medium heat for 5 minutes.

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8. 8

   After 5 minutes, stir again and partially cover the pot to thicken the mixture.

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9. 9

   Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Save 1/3 cup of chickpeas for later.

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10. 10

    Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the pot, then stir in 1 teaspoon of garam masala and 1 teaspoon of crushed dried fenugreek leaves.

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11. 11

    Add the chickpeas to the pot and stir well to coat them in the spices.

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12. 12

    Pour in 1 cup of hot water. Blend the saved chickpeas with 1/2 cup of water until smooth, then add this paste to the pot.

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13. 13

    Add 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and cover the pot, cooking on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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14. 14

    After 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add more sugar if it tastes sour.

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15. 15

    Stir in chopped coriander leaves and 1/3 cup of heavy cream. Cover and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.

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16. 16

    For garnish, heat a small pan over low heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and a drop of oil. Once melted, switch off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika. Drizzle this over the chickpeas before serving.

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