Tomato-Chickpea Masala With Chicken |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 90 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Appeared in the Washington Post, 12/15/10. Both my husband and I loved the complexity of the flavors and textures. Look closely at the ingredient list: It's very pantry- and leftover-friendly, especially if you usually keep fresh ginger on hand. We did not scale back the recipe to 4 servings, because this is the kind of saucy main dish that's good as lunch leftovers the next day, or it can morph into a baked casserole the day after that. The chicken adds texture and protein, but the masala could quite easily be prepared as a vegetarian dish. Serve with jasmine or other long-grain rice. Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin |
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted |
2 medium onions |
ginger, 3-inch piece |
4 garlic cloves, medium |
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala |
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
6 -8 ounces cooked chicken (white or dark meat) |
2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas (no salt added) |
2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes |
3/4 cup low-fat coconut milk |
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar |
1 teaspoon salt |
1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish |
2 medium lemons, for serving |
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt |
Directions:
1. Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions. Peel the ginger, then grate it to yield 2 tablespoons. Cut the garlic into very thin slices.
3. When the butter has melted, add the onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala and cayenne pepper; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions have softened.
4. Shred the chicken (to taste), discarding any skin. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, reserving their juices (discard any basil leaves in the can).
5. Stir the chickpeas and the tomatoes with their juices into the pot. Once the chickpeas have heated through, use a potato masher to mash about half of them. Add the shredded chicken. Increase the heat to medium; once the liquid starts to bubble, cook for about 8 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring as needed.
6. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the cilantro. Cut the lemon into wedges.
7. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Divide among individual plates; add spoonfuls of yogurt to each portion. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot, with lemon wedges.
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