CHICKPEAS WITH MASALA SAUCE

4-5 servings, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups organic canned chickpeas (or 1¼ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked until soft)

• 3 tablespoons ghee

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

• 11/2 tablespoons sattvic spice mix

• 2 medium fresh tomatoes

• 1 small fresh fennel bulb, roughly chopped

• 1 soft medjool date, pitted (and preferably soaked in warm water for 5–10 minutes)

• 3/4 - 1 cup coconut milk

• 11/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (add more to taste)

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the tomato-fennel blend: In a blender, combine the chopped tomatoes, chopped fennel, and soaked date. Blend until smooth and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan, heat the ghee over low to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and sauté until they sizzle (about 30 seconds). Add the grated ginger and sauté for another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.

3. Stir in the sattvic spice mix and immediately pour in the blended tomato-fennel-date mixture. Cook, stirring often, for about 5–7 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.

4. Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in the chickpeas and let the mixture simmer on low heat for another 10–15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to coat the chickpeas thoroughly.

6. Turn off the heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lemon juice.

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This recipe was adapted from Eat Taste Heal cookbook

Notes

• A tridoshic (mostly-sattvic) one-pot chickpea dish great for any season!

• Option to serve this with cooked basmati rice or quinoa, a warm tortilla or chapati, or with a side of steamed greens.

• The fennel softens and sweetens the acidity of the tomatoes, reduces gas/ bloating, and promotes digestion. The coconut milk balances the drying nature of chickpeas and the spices in this dish increase digestion and reduce the gas forming nature of chickpeas. Thus, someone sensitive to chickpeas, such as a vata, could eat this dish and not have a problem.