Why do we travel? Despite its challenges, traveling does one big thing for me: It inspires. Pretty much every meal we sit down to is an opportunity to learn about a new culture. This recipe was inspired by a meal we stumbled upon in Oslo, Norway. Despite it being quite cold and windy and the shops being closed because it was a Sunday manage expectations, Dana, manage expectations… , we found this amazing Indian restaurant where I enjoyed. Chana masala is traditionally based with green chilies, onion, garlic, fresh cilantro, a blend of spices, chickpeas, and tomatoes. It can be prepared a number of different ways, but I chose the simple route: 1 pot and about 30 minutes required. It starts with onion and cumin. Next comes a paste of green chilis, ginger, garlic, and fresh cilantro. The bulk of the flavor comes from coriander, chili powder, and ground turmeric. Chickpeas add plenty of fiber, texture, and protein, and puréed tomatoes add body and richness. The magical step that takes this dish from love it to GIVE ME ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW is the garam masala I include a simple DIY blend below , and fresh lemon juice. Enjoy this dish on its own, over rice, , or — my personal favorite — over roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli easy recipe below. If you try this dish, let us know what you think! Leave a comment, rate it, and take a picture and tag it on Instagram so we can see all your beautiful creations. Stir to mix, then let cool slightly before serving. Fresh cilantro and lemon juice make an excellent garnish. Chana masala can be enjoyed as a stew on its own, or it can be delicious with white or brown rice see my favorite method , or. Lastly, my favorite is over roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli see notes for instructions. Add to a bare or foil-lined baking sheet and top with 1 Tbsp grape seed oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Toss to combine, making sure sweet potatoes are evenly coated with oil. Broccoli may cook faster than the sweet potatoes. I was surprised this recipe was inspired from Oslo, Norway. It usually involves deep frying the cauliflower. It would be great if you can find a healthy and simple way to recreate the recipe! What a surprise to find this recipe today! A friend emailed it to me with no note of where it came from. I made it for dinner last night. I used jalapeno and banana pepper, and finished with a bit of coconut milk to add some extra creaminess. He also likes diced fresh onion on top. It turned out great! Thank You for the continued inspiration! Hi Dana, First off, your blog is excellent! I love the low mess and easy ingredients approach. The pictures are beautiful too! Great to know that you are making Indian recipes and doing it right — I mean spicy here : I urge you to try another spice blend called Punjabi chhole masala this is how it looks — which is what I usually use in the chana masala. I use this spice blend in tomato based pasta sauces as well for the kick. Do give it a shot! I am such a huge fa
