Tikka masala gets a vegan makeover
Try this is chicken tikka masala, minus the chicken, writes Joe Yonan.
Ionce confessed that, as a lover of wordplay, I am drawn to every recipe I see whose name substitutes ‘‘chickpeas’’ for ‘‘chicken.’’
When I ran into chickpea tikka masala, I had to try it, even though I knew the ‘‘tikka’’ part of the name doesn’t quite translate. (It means ‘‘pieces,’’ and refers to the chunks of chicken in the original dish.)
It’s a loose interpretation from Kathryne Taylor’s Love Real Food. Besides swapping in those chickpeas, she skips the cream in the sauce and uses coconut milk – like chickpeas, a beloved ingredient in India.
Unlike the original British-Indian dish, which requires marinating chicken in yoghurt and spices and roasting it before adding it to the sauce, in her version you throw tinned chickpeas right into the liquid.
(It might seem similar to chana masala, but that curry has much more of a kick from fresh chillies, a tang from dried mango powder, and not even a lick of cream or cream substitute.)
Is it terrible to strip a traditional dish of so many essentials? I don’t think so, especially in this case, because chicken tikka masala, is itself a loose British interpretation of an Indian favourite. Accounts vary, but in the famous 2001 speech in which he declared it ‘‘a British national dish,’’ former British foreign secretary Robin Cook said the masala sauce was added to India’s chicken tikka ‘‘to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy.’’
For those of us who desire nothing more than an easy, quick, spicy, satisfying, plant-based curry, tradition can give a little. And so can the name.
Chickpea tikka masala
4 to 6 servings (makes about 5 cups)
This vegan take on the British-Indian staple uses coconut milk instead of cream.
■ Two 400g tins of no-salt-added whole or diced tomatoes, with their juices ■ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
■ 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
(about 1 1⁄2 cups)
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
■ 1 tablespoon peeled grated/minced fresh ginger root
■ 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
■ 1 tablespoon garam masala
■ 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
■ One 400g tin no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
■ 3⁄4 cup tinned coconut milk (regular or low-fat)
■ 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh coriander, plus more for garnish
■ Cooked basmati rice, for serving
Pour the tomatoes into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. (If you have a stick blender, you can blend the tomatoes right in the tin.)
Heat the oil in a large, non-reactive skillet or cast iron casserole dish over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the garam masala and cayenne (if using), and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, and the 1⁄2 cup of chopped coriander. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
Increase the heat to medium-high, then once the mixture begins bubbling around the edges, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle bubbling.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavours meld, about 20 minutes.
To serve, spoon the rice into individual bowls and top with the chickpea masala. Sprinkle with more chopped coriander. – The Washington Post
Recipe adapted from Love Real Food, by Kathryne Taylor.