Channa Masala with Vegetables – Kale, Carrots and Cauliflower (Instant Pot)
Chickpeas were one of the first things that I learnt to cook for myself. Along the way it became my go to dish for potlucks and events. Affordable, nutritious, and comforting they dot a lot of my graduate school memories. I learned along the way to call the curried chickpeas Channa Masala and later when married into a North Indian family, choley.
My children love chickpeas. As my son says they are yummy. There is a huge difference in taste when cooked from the scratch. If you have time soak them. If not just let your instant pot electric pressure cooker work its magic. My go to version then and today is a veggie laced version not unlike my fall chicken curry. This is however a protein packed, vegetarian rendition with chickpeas. My Channa Masala with Vegetables!
My Channa Masala with Vegetables Story
In fact, I even braved taking this to the very first job I had, at a bank of all places. I placed it quietly on the pot-luck table and quietly watched the reactions. No-one knew who had made the dish. Especially since interns typically did not show up with trays of home cooked food. I heard people praising the garbanzo beans and felt the warmth of happy satisfaction filling me up.
This is another fall to winter staple that the children love. All season Hudson Valley vegetables round our this stew. Carrots, kale or your choice of greens, cauliflower and if you wish you can throw in broccoli too!
An Easier Weekend.
The relatively more time on my hands, almost an extra day per week has not necessarily translated to more time with the kids. Deepta in particular, makes me brutally aware of how fast they are growing up. As for the rest of the world, I am not sure what to make of things. Even the election shenanigans have gone from funny to plain seriously disgusting.
I cannot help longing for election campaigns and pretty much everything where the world was a safer and more private place.
A Flavorful Finish
The unique character I add to this version, is finishing it off with 2 teaspoons of thyme. I had originally, way back in the day done it because my spice pantry was ridiculously sparse. It consisted of a handful of basic spices offered to me courtesy of my aunt and this container of dried thyme given to me by someone shifting apartments. I miss the possibilities of those spartan days when life was so simple and yet full of possibilities. Of course, those first vegetables used were frozen ones and today this fall staple comes together with garden carrots, kale and cauliflower.
Thankfully with the instant pot, many of you readers are now braving the world of pressure cooker. I am glad that I do not have to tell you about how to make things without a pressure cooker. anymore. An honest confession – I always cook my own chickpeas and have never braved them without a pressure cooker. This recipe uses home cooked chickpeas. You can see how I do it following this post. The rest of the dish can be done either on the stove top or the pressure cooker.
On a post script, I will be spending quality time in the kitchen as I have loads of tomatoes from the farm and plan of getting busy in making tomato chutney, stay tuned to see what I do with the chutney.
If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for pre-order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.
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A hearty channa masala with carrots, kale and cauliflower.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of cooked chickpeas (see note)
- 2 tablespoons oil (such as olive or canola)
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 cups of cooked chickpeas
- 1 or 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 1/2 medium cauliflower, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 2 cups of finely chopped kale or any other leafy green
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Turn the instant pot on to saute mode. Add in the oil and heat from a minute and add in whole cumin seeds and wait for the seeds to sizzle and add in the red onion. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and begins to turn golden.
- Add in the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and red cayenne powder and stir in the chickpeas cook for another minute.
- Add in the tomatoes, carrots and cauliflower and about a half cup of water. Set the pressure cooker to 1 minutes. Release the steam after 5 minutes.
- Cool and remove the cover and stir in the thyme and kale and cook until the kale is wilted.
- Stir in the garam masala and the fresh lime juice.
- Serve as a wholesome gorgeous bowlful with or without brown rice.
Notes
To cook the chickpeas, place in the instant pot and set for 35 minutes and allow for a natural steam release if possible.
To make this without a pressure cooker, start with canned or cooked chickpeas and cook the vegetable for about 15 minutes.