Chana Masala?

Loosely translated "Chana" means 'chick peas', or 'Garbanzo beans' (as many know them).

I think most here know that "curry" means 'sauce' or 'spiced gravy'. "Masala" is just a mixture of spices.

"Chana Masala" is one of the most popular dishes in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is a mixture of chick peas, slowly simmered, with spices, tomato puree with ginger and garlic paste, and Masala spice. You can make Masala spice, or you can buy it. It is very unique.

If you have Chana Masala, in its original form, it is delightful. I think it may even be vegetarian (except for maybe the Ghee). It can be served with rice, or better yet served with Naan bread (butter Naan is the best, followed by butter-garlic Naan).

If I was ever going to become a vegetarian, I would probably eat exclusively Indian food. They have 20,000 ways to cook things you never thought would fill you up.

Now, little bit of chicken in that Chana Masala makes it even better (IMHO), but that's just me.

Next up...Dahl. Another dish you just can't find anywhere other than the Indian culture.

Good Stuff!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Food of the Gods.

Indian food is my favourite. Moong Dahl with a few white potatoes cut up and cooked slowly with the mung beans… I can’t describe the level of comfort. Indian food is, imo, the truest of comfort foods. It feeds your spirit. I have cooked several recipes from the link provide and, followed precisely, have never disappointed me. The palak paneer was addicting.

www.indianhealthyrecipes.com...

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

That sounds soooo good!!!

Something I made years ago while a cook offshore.

Using a 10” high pan the size of a cookie sheet that had a 2” high vented lid.
I’d melt 2 lbs of butter then chop up 3-5 lbs of lobster and toss that in the pan with 5-8lbs of Scallops, spice to taste (use your favs) then add fresh Italian bread crumbs I ran through the food processor and toss those in.
Pour the butter over all and mix well.
What came out of the oven “two hours“ later never once lasted more than 30 minutes, ever.
(be sure to stir often while cooking at 350f)
11 guys destroyed it and begged for more...

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

My buddy is Indian, trained at Cordon Bleu and makes the best Indian food I've had. His chana and daal are obscenely good. He also makes this cabbage dish called patta gohbi that's also amazing.

a reply to: KleenX

I can’t stand curry!
Everyone loves it, but I can’t get it out of my mouth fast enough whenever I put it in there by mistake.
People tell me it’s my loss.
When I was in England in 2003 I absolutely loved the food unless it had curry in it and the problem was most of it had curry in it.
A holdover from the colonial days of ruling India I imagine.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I've been playin with some curries lately myself...

so far i've made chicken Jalfrezi... a nice lentil curry and Aloo Keema, which is a hamburger curry

All of them turned out really good... Just gotta follow the recipe...

And you may have to run around town for spices a few times... pretty sure i have every spice known to man in my cupboard at the moment

Oh and IF anyone wants the recipes... just ask

originally posted by: Akragon
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I've been playin with some curries lately myself...

so far i've made chicken Jalfrezi... a nice lentil curry and Aloo Keema, which is a hamburger curry

All of them turned out really good... Just gotta follow the recipe...

And you may have to run around town for spices a few times... pretty sure i have every spice known to man in my cupboard at the moment

Oh and IF anyone wants the recipes... just ask

You haven't seen our spice racks! I posted pics of them a while back. I'll see if I can find them again. We have over (180) spices in those racks, and that doesn't include the bulk spices. I'd be surprised if you could name a spice we don't have!

Do you have Fenugreek? Whole Star Anise? Cardamom seed (green and other)? Name one, and I will check. How about Jasmine, or pure Saffron? Japanese? Chinese? Indian? We have them all. Do you know the difference between seed and ground, and when to grind them versus a mortar and pestle? LOL! What spices need to be roasted versus added after a dish is cooked?

Perhaps you didn't know, but the wife is a Chef.

She's Italian, but her specialty is baking, and Mediterranean, Indian and Chinese foods (the Asian / Indian part from me). French food is her secondary. And she graduated from BCI.

Bottom line...we like food. And, we like international spices and flavors.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

i have all of those spices.... ground and seed form lol...

And just picked up Fenugreek a few days ago... needed for my next curry creation

Ask the wife to make chicken Jalfrezi... so good, one of my all time favs!!

a reply to: Akragon

Sorry, didn't mean to give the "holier than thou" impression there with my last response.

"Curry" is an interesting thing. So many people think it's a "thing", but it's really not...it's just a gravy...and there are 20,000 different recipes to make it. Some spicy, some mild, some in between...but the sky is the limit.

Spaghetti sauce is a "curry"...in India.

In Indian cuisine there are also confusing words. "Maslala" is one...Masala is just a mixture of spices, and again the sky is the limit. "Chana" is another, as is "Dahl". People see these things on menus and think they're getting something special (and they may well be), but neither of those terms are exotic. "Chana" just means chick peas, and "Dahl" just means lentils. Now imagine how many dishes you can make from either of these legumes!

Funny that, that the term "curry" really didn't even originate in India, but rather the UK. "Curry" is hugely popular in the UK, owing largely to their terribly bad meat quality. Sad, but true.

Anyway, just some interesting factoids.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

served with Naan bread

Served with bread bread?

Funny you should mention Indian, I had lamb Kashiri Rogan last night along with some samosas with green chutney, and there's enough again for tonight.

One of my favorites from a restaurant I frequent once a month when out of town.

They have amazing garlic naan, too. But that green chutney is delicious.

They have 20,000 ways to cook things you never thought would fill you up.

I have a hard time trying anything too new, even though it all sounds and looks amazing just because I LOVE lamb vindaloo and josh rogan, and samosas.

There's a place near where I just moved that I plan to try, too.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I can get down with some chaat.

Love it. I have this book. I recommend it.

Chaat