Another Vegan Chickpea Curry

I know I already posted a vegan chickpea curry a couple of months ago. That one had a veggie broth base with coconut milk. This one here has a tomato paste base, similar to a chana masala. You would usually find recipes for chana masala with actual tomatoes. While I find I have a hard time eating actual tomatoes, I tend to do well with tomato paste. So while this won’t be your authentic chana masala, it’s still quite tasty.

This is one of those meals you can make out of your pantry, unless you add cilantro. The cilantro is optional, but if you like its taste, I do recommend adding it. It really adds *something* to the curry.

Another Vegan Chickpea Curry

Ingredients
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp ginger paste – you can find this in a jar in the spice section of grocery stores (or blend ginger with a bit of oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
About 1 small can tomato paste (or less)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or about 3 1/2 – 4 cups cooked chickpeas
Salt to taste
1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions
Heat oil on medium heat. When it’s hot, add cumin and toss around for about a minute to make it fragrant. Add garlic and ginger paste and toss around for another minute. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add water, tomato paste, lemon juice, turmeric, and garam masala. When it’s well mixed, add the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low. Simmer until the chickpeas are cooked to your liking. I like mine soft, so it takes about 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, wash and chop the cilantro. When the chickpeas are cooked to your liking, remove from heat. Add in the cilantro and serve.