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Thread: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

  1. #1
    vegan pizza! thecatspajamas1's Avatar
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    Default Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    I thought I'd share my easied-down version of a channa masala recipe that I make a couple times a week because I like it so much. I modify it to make other things too, like aloo palak. Here goes:

    channa masala
    You need:
    Big can of tomatoes, including the juice from the can.
    Big can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
    half can of coconut milk
    half onion, or more if you like. (chop it.)
    all the spices in your cabinet, particularly curry

    What to do:
    Saute the onion in a big pan. Add the coconut milk and the juice from the tomato can. You should be simmering this. Add in lots of spices. (I like to use curry powder, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, and salt.) Simmer for awhile so the food can absorb the flavor from the spices. Serve with rice or naan.


    To make aloo palak instead (potatos and spinach)
    Do the same thing as the other recipe, but instead of chickpeas and tomatoes, you will use potatoes and spinach. Chop the potatoes up, and put them in the coconut milk earlier and simmer them for awhile, because they'll take longer to cook them the spinach. Add the spinach when the potatoes are about soft. A really creamy, starchy dish!
    I eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful.

  2. #2
    BlackCats
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    That sounds nice mmm I could eat it now. I have to buy some spices for my cupboard.

    The only thing I wondered was that I read that coconut milk only keeps for very short time, what do you do with the other half of tin?
    (I suppose you could make both dishes at once and freeze one - question asked question answered!)

  3. #3
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    thecats pyjamas; you could always just steam the potatoes for 5-10mins just to reduce cooking time, or use sweet pots, they cook quicker.

    in my experience of cooking spuds, they never cook as quickly as a recipe says.

    sounds nice - thanks

  4. #4
    Purple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    Sounds good!

    The problem I always have with curry, is that the whole thing always tastes like the spices I used, and nothing else. It doesn't matter what dish I make, it all tastes like cumin.

    what am I doing wrong?

  5. #5
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    perhaps its the ratio of spice quantities you are using? play around with them?
    have you tried ground fenugreek seeds? they can give curry a nice flavour..

  6. #6
    driftingAway piggy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    i have found that mashing/foodprocessing some of the chickpeas while keeping the rest whole, makes a big difference
    Piggy

  7. #7
    driftingAway piggy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    Quote Purple View Post
    Sounds good!

    The problem I always have with curry, is that the whole thing always tastes like the spices I used, and nothing else. It doesn't matter what dish I make, it all tastes like cumin.

    what am I doing wrong?
    you could try making the curry quite a few hours ahead of time. i've found that curries are nicer the longer they're left too stand to absorb flavours...if i don't make them a while before the time, i get the same problem you have.
    Piggy

  8. #8
    Purple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    Quote piggy View Post
    you could try making the curry quite a few hours ahead of time. i've found that curries are nicer the longer they're left too stand to absorb flavours...if i don't make them a while before the time, i get the same problem you have.

    Yeah, that really might be it. I tend to make a load of it and warm some up the next day.


    It might be a combination of spice quantities and not cooking it long enough.

    Maybe I'm adding too much?

    My sag aloo and my chana masalla seem to taste really similar

  9. #9
    jamboxrock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    Yum! An easy meal from the pantry. I want to try this soon.

  10. #10
    vegan pizza! thecatspajamas1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    Quote Aphrodite View Post

    The only thing I wondered was that I read that coconut milk only keeps for very short time, what do you do with the other half of tin?
    (I suppose you could make both dishes at once and freeze one - question asked question answered!)
    I put the other half in a tupperware and usually use it within a day or two. Or you could just make a double batch the first time, if you eat more than me.
    You could also just make a quick smoothie or something with the leftover coconut milk. (dessert!)
    I eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful.

  11. #11
    BlackCats
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    Default Re: Lazy Vegan Channa Masala

    The only thing with keeping milk for next day is that I don't usually feel like curry two days in a row.

    But putting it in a smoothie - I would have never thought of that I suppose it is sweet after all - thanks CatsPJs

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