International Cooking Club, And Chana Masala

A few months ago, a friend of a friend invited me to join an international cooking club that was just being formed in our town. That's right - a cooking club, right here in my little corner in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin. Who knew my little town of about four thousand-ish could be so cosmopolitan? :) It is not easy to meet new people in this town, so this club was really a huge answer to prayer! Anyway, there are now about ten of us, representing as many countries, and we each take turns demonstrating recipes from our home country, and generally sharing our the food culture with the others. Such fun!

Our next meeting is this Saturday, and it will be my turn to showcase a little bit of India. But, where to even start? Indian food is so diverse. You step fifty or so miles this side or that side, and it's like you're in a whole other country..the language is different, customs are different, the food is different, the clothes can be different...you get the idea, right? I really hope to take more turns in the future, so I can at least skim the surface and show a few more dishes.

Now, there are a few rules so we can accommodate everyone's dietary needs...for instance, no meat, vegetarian stuff only, and limited dairy products. So, I could immediately kiss goodbye to the idea of showing off my beloved fried fish, or any of my favorite chicken curry recipes. The rules are probably a helpful thing for me, in any case, because I was having way too much trouble picking from among my favorite dishes. However, one of the four dishes I am choosing to show is this Chana Masala. This savory concoction of chick peas (garbanzo beans) and spices goes with just about any carbs you can get your hands on......rice, sliced bread, naan, whatever. It is a home favorite, and the ingredients are easily available. I can't wait to show it at cooking club on Saturday. Here is the recipe:

Chana Masala
(Chick Peas Simmered In Spicy Gravy)

You will need:

1 can Chick peas (Garbanzo beans)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons veg oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon butter
1 1/2 cups of water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
cilantro leaves for garnish

Serves 4.

Rinse and drain chick peas and set aside. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to 'pop'. Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add the chopped tomato and saute. Add coriander powder and red chilli powder and mix well. Stir in the butter. Once the butter has melted in, add the water and let the whole thing come up to a boil. Then, add the chick peas and salt and mix well. Lower heat to medium and let cook for about 5 minutes. When it starts to thicken, add the lemon juice. Stir, and remove from heat. Enjoy!