Meatless Monday - Chickpeas and Artichoke Masala

During my time in isolation (with the flu) I caught up on many of my recorded TV shows. After watching about 15 episodes of Iron Chef America, I started looking for something different.  We have always been fans of The Next Food Network Star so I decided to catch up on some of the latest winner's shows, Aarti Party. This particular recipe really caught my eye. I have been looking for some really flavorful vegetarian meals and Chickpea and Artichoke Masala really caught my eye.

First, I made the ginger garlic paste in the food processor and  added the onion and tomato. Then the sauce was sauteed in cumin infused oil.




The sauce was allowed to cook for 10 minutes. Look how much deeper the color got. No more bright pink!

The spices were added and then the yogurt a bit at a time.



Finally, the chickpeas, artichokes and rest of the ingredients were added.


The sauce simmered for 10 minutes.



The finished dish turned out a bit more soupy than I expected so I served it with Basmati rice. The flavor of the spices really came through, without being overwhelming. The kids didn't really go for it, but I think it would make a great lunch recipe. I am not going to let this deter my Meatless Monday mission. the quest for great vegetarian meals is ON!!!!


Ingredients

1 large red onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows, or 1 clove garlic and 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and halved
Kosher salt
1/2 cup water
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Process the onion, Garlic-Ginger Paste, and tomatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the cumin seeds. Once they're done popping, add the onion-tomato paste you just made, and saute until it thickens and deepens in color, about 10 minutes.

Add the ground coriander, garam masala, paprika, and turmeric and saute about 30 seconds. Then add the yogurt, a little at a time so it doesn't curdle. Stir in the lime juice, chickpeas, artichokes, salt, to taste, and water. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and serve garnished with cilantro



Ginger-Garlic Paste:

1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.