Chana Masala

Merry Christmas!  My family always does a Thanksgiving redux with a ham thrown in for Christmas dinner, but in the interest of internationalism, I am posting a good basic Indian recipe.  I am not usually a proponent of using a spice mix, but for making super easy chana masala, I recommend the Vindaloo spice mix from Penzey's as a way to get a rich complicated and spicy flavor in no time at all.

1 cup dry chickpeas
1 onion diced
6 cloves of garlic minced
4 slices of fresh ginger root
1-2 tsp. Penzy's Vindaloo spice mix
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro for garnish

Rehydrate the chickpeas by soaking them overnight.  Add salt and gently boil on stove until the are soft, then drain them and set aside.  Saute the onion in vegetable oil until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger root and saute another few minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning.  Add the Vindaloo spice and stir several times.  Add the tomatoes and chickpeas, turn the heat down and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes or an hour, depending on your time frame.  Serve with rice and the chicken tikka masala recipe I posted recently.