Vegan Curried Chickpeas (Vegan Chana Masala)

"Curried Chickpeas"
from The Indian Slow Cooker  by
Anupy Singla

Rasa walla Kabuli Chana or Curried Chickpeas!  I was SO excited to make this because I was thinking it would be "Chana Masala" since it has some chana masala spice mix in it.  I am still not sure if it is considered "Chana Masala" or not, but it is super yummy.

"Chana Masala"
spice mix.

You use the white chickpeas (kabuli chana).  I buy these from Whole Foods since I can get them organic there.  If you are going to do this type of cooking all of the time, look to buy them organic and in bulk.  This recipe is incredibly easy.  You chop a few things up and put them in the cooker with the dried chickpeas.  Yep, dried and unsoaked.  Seriously folks, zero preparation.  Even at the most expensive place in town (Whole Foods), the organic chickpeas in bulk are 1.99 a pound.  

I buy my legumes in bulk and keep
them in glass jars.  They are such a colorful addition in the kitchen!

"Kabuli Chana"
Chickpeas.

This differed a little from "Chana Masala" that we get at the restaurants.  It doesn't have much tomato so it isn't as "red" in color.  We did have fun watching a Punjabi man make a very complicated version of "Chana Masala" on YouTube.  He put mango powder and pomegranate seeds in as separate ingredients.  The garam masala in this gives it an earthy cinnamon/cardamom flavor.  I buy my Garam Masala (organic) from Mountain Rose Herbs.  I wish they also carried the "Chana Masala" mix because I still haven't found any that don't just totally overload on the salt.  The best I could do is find one where salt is the third ingredient.  So I reduced the salt even more.  I do use Sea Salt, but mine is not coursely ground so I basically have cut the salt in half for every single one of these recipes.  I think she uses coursely ground salt and I also think Indians like salt.

More than one use for a bag of beans.

The chickpeas in this turn out so soft.  You will love this dish!
How do you guys make "Vegan Chana Masala"??  Does anyone know of a place to buy "Chana Masala" spice with ZERO salt? So far, Hubby's faves right now are this Chana Masala and the Black Lentils/Dal Makhani.