You might also like this south Indian chickpea curry with coconut milk, chana bhatura, and instant chana masala made with tomato onion masala sauce. Our weekends tend to be, perhaps not unlike yours, the busiest days of the week. Saturday mornings start with Jay’s Saturday School, walking Opie, running errands, then home for lunch. By the time we get home it’s well past noon and I scramble to fix something real quick. But this time I was already a step ahead, with my Slow Cooker Chana Masala. And it’s oil-free. It took me just minutes to prep the ingredients for this classic Indian favorite and mix them all up in the slow cooker before running out the door. I peeked in on it a couple of times between errands, added a little more water once, and by the time we got home about six hours later, the house was filled with the amazing fragrance of the Slow Cooker Chana Masala. Better still, lunch was served, and it was delicious. I love slow cooking because not only is it convenient, it can be really healthy. For one, it’s easy to omit the fat when you don’t have to saute things first, the way you do with most foods cooked on the stovetop. I do try to saute with water occasionally, but I prefer the crockpot method any day. And then, the slow cooking infuses so much great flavor into the food. Perfect for rich-tasting foods like this Slow Cooker Chana Masala. Unlike some slow cooker recipes, this curry requires no cooking on the stovetop first. You make a puree of the tomatoes and onions along with some garlic and ginger, but all that really needs is some rough chopping and a push of the blender button. Oh, and you do need to open a can or two of chickpeas. 🙂 Check to get new recipe updates by email.
One quick note– you might wonder why you need a full six hours when the chickpeas are already cooked, but trust me, you do. The long cooking helps the spices cook and meld with the chickpeas and mellows the tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger, infusing them with a deep richness.
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