Channa Masala Recipe with a Coconut Kick

I LOVE spicy foods especially when they involve coconut!  This VEGAN recipe uses chickpeas, a.k.a., garbanzo beans, however, I imagine you could use any protein of choice (tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp).  If coconut isn’t your thing, feel free to use ALL vegetable broth and it is just as AMAZING. 

My inspiration for this recipe is going to sound funny, but,  as you read yesterday it was inspired by a Trader Joe’s Channa Masala Frozen Dinner that I tried awhile back.  I am not an Indian food person really, but, I LOVED these spicy chickpeas so much that I recreated my own version with a coconut kick!

CHANNA MASALA WITH A COCONUT KICK

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp butter

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1/2 jalapeño, minced (fresh or canned)

1 tsp yellow curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 large red tomato, chopped

1/2 c Lite Coconut Milk (can substitute with vegetable broth)

1/4 c Vegetable Broth

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/8 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until melted and add onion.  Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2.  Stir in garlic, ginger, jalapeño, curry, and cumin.  Cook one minute.  Add tomato and cook one minute.

3.  Add coconut milk, broth, chickpeas, salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated.

4.  Remove from heat; stir in garam masala, paprika, and cilantro.

Enjoy as is, served over brown rice, with a pita bread, wrapped up or pour over a big batch of stir fried vegetables.

Makes 4 – 1/2 cup servings.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 195.7, Total Fat 5.5 g, Saturated Fat 2.4 g, Cholesterol 2.5 mg, Sodium 974.2 mg, Potassium 362.4 mg, Total Carbohydrate 31.3 g, Dietary Fiber 6.1 g, Sugars .4 g, Protein 7.5 g

This recipe is VEGAN!

The STAR of this recipe is Trader Joe’s Light Coconut Milk.  Despite the bad rap that Coconut gets, I have to say the nutritionals are not too shabby.  Oh and being only $0.99 a can is pretty awesome too!

Cook your onion with the olive oil and butter over medium heat until soft.

Add your aromatics ~ garlic, ginger, jalepeno, curry and cumin ~ cook for 1 minute. 

Add tomato and cook for 1 additional minute.

Add chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), vegetable broth and coconut milk.

Cook until majority of the sauce is reduced.

Remove pan from heat and stir in cilantro, garam masala and paprika.

Tadah!!!!  All done in under 20 minutes!

I served my first serving over 1/2 a Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice.

Enjoy!