Chana masala, naan bread and my addiction to Indian food

I don't know what it is about Indian food, but I'm addicted. I think it's the simplicity of some dishes, that without any fancy ingredients, get the flavor from wonderful combinations of spices. For instance, this Chana Masala. Take chickpeas, plain, maybe even boring, add some cumin, turmeric, garam masala and magic happens. 

Before moving to the US I had barely tried any Indian food. It's not really popular in Spain and there's very few restaurants that serve the real deal. Plus, back then, I was a little terrified of spicy food. Then at the MIT lab I had several Indian coworkers, who introduced me to all sorts of great dishes. Not like I really had a choice! One wonderful thing about Indian culture is the concept that sharing food makes it even better. According to my labmate, if you make a very elaborate dish that takes you several hours to prepare, it's almost a duty to share it with as many people as possible. So yes, they all feed me like my mum would. But hey, share the goodness! way to go. 

In my current lab, every once in a while we have Indian food lunch. That is, my coworkers make a bunch of traditional dishes and we all get to try them. Needless to say, they make them real spicy. I'm not sure as to how I got used to the heat. I think I killed several taste buds along the way and told my stomach to deal with it. So far, a few things I'm in love with are Senvian Kheer, Dhokla and of course Samosas. 

By all means, if any of my readers happens to have good traditional recipes for any of them, please share them with me! I'd love to try! Also feel free to correct me if I'm not using the right names. In my attempt to recreate some Indian dishes at home,I think I'm on my way to mastering Lentil Dahl. This was my first try with Chana masala and Naan bread and they came out pretty tasty! I highly recommend you give both a shot. They're simple yet tasty foods that anyone can make. 

Print these recipes

Chana masala

Serves 2, adapted from here

1 tablespoon butter, ghee or oil (I used vegetable oil)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 pint chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)
1/2 cup water
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a pan, cook the onion until golden and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Stir in the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook briefly, for about half a minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook for about five minutes or until tender. Then add the chickpeas and water, bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Add the paprika, garam masala, salt and lemon juice and cook for about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Naan bread

Makes 8 pieces

Adapted from here

300g / 10.5 oz bread flour

10 g fresh yeast or a packet of dry yeast (I used dry)

1 cup plain yogurt 

100 mL / 3.4 fl oz. lukewarm milk

1 tablespoon olive oil/ghee + 2 tablespoons for brushing

1 tsp salt

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and let it proof. In a bowl, sift together flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the yogurt to the milk and yeast and pour it in the middle of the well. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until elastic and not sticky. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl until it doubles in size or for 1 hr. 

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and flatten them with your knuckles, giving them an oval shape. Transfer them to your baking sheet and let them rest for 20 minutes. 

Preheat your oven to 300 F and brush the bread with the ghee or oil. Bake for 12 minutes. Serve warm.