INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced
3 – 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
2 inch piece of ginger, minced or grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (or less if you don’t like spicy)
2 teaspoons diced serrano peppers (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 cans (14oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 - 1 can (15oz.) full fat coconut milk (start with 1/2 can and add more to taste)
Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional)

PREPARATION

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onions, cook for 5 – 7 minute, until onions are translucent and golden brown around the edges.
Add the ginger and garlic, cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, Serrano pepper and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the spices stick to the pan. It’s important to toast the spice paste properly in order to enhance the flavor.
Add tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water and cook for 4 minutes. Add chickpeas, cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes, checking frequently to ensure nothing is sticking to the pan.
Add the brown sugar and 1/2 can of coconut milk. Taste and add more coconut milk, if desired. Add more salt if necessary.
Garnish with chopped cilantro, white or cilantro lime rice and naan.

RECIPE NOTES

Chicken Tikka Masala is a beloved takeaway dish in England, very much in the same way we Americans love our pizza, burgers and tacos. I created this plant-based version for a friend in need of a vegan coconut curry recipe. His husband is vegan and he wanted to make something special for his birthday. I immediately thought of a Thai curry but I wanted to offer something that could be made with basic pantry staples and that’s when Tikka Masala came to mind. I adapted my go-to chicken tikka masala recipe and swapped out the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk, chose chickpeas instead of chicken and the result is a saucy bowl of warm Indian flavors. Garam Masala is a blend of warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and coriander. It’s the key flavoring ingredient in this dish, and although not a pantry staple for non-South Asians, I would highly suggest adding a bottle to your spice cabinet. Same goes for turmeric. Both add a lot of flavor to lentil soups, vegetables and marinades. I use the Frontier brand which you can find at Whole Foods. As for the coconut milk, start with a 1/2 a can and add more to taste but don’t add too much otherwise you risk losing the tanginess from the tomatoes.

*TIP: For a more creamy stew, throw the chickpeas (juice and all) into your InstantPot with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Drain the liquid and you’re good to go. Reduce simmer time to 15 minutes.

Chickpea Tikka Masala