Description
Creamy, aromatic Indian Butter Chickpeas bring comfort straight from traditional kitchens to your plate. Spices blend harmoniously with velvety chickpeas, delivering a luxurious vegetarian experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2 (14.5 ounces) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup tomato paste
Spices and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or ¾ teaspoon paprika + ¼ teaspoon cayenne)
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi, optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Aromatics and Herbs:
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped peeled ginger
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Cooked jasmine rice or naan, for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter in a spacious skillet over medium heat, introducing diced onions and a pinch of salt. Allow onions to transform into a soft, translucent landscape, gently caramelizing for approximately 7 minutes.
- Incorporate tomato paste, stirring continuously until the mixture deepens in color and develops a rich, concentrated flavor profile. This process typically requires 4-5 minutes of dedicated attention.
- Introduce finely chopped serrano chile and freshly grated ginger, allowing their aromatic essence to permeate the cooking environment for roughly one minute.
- Fold in chickpeas and baking soda, creating a robust foundation. Sprinkle garam masala, cumin, and chili powder across the mixture, toasting the spices until their fragrance intensifies and becomes distinctly pronounced.
- Pour heavy cream into the skillet, complementing the spices with fenugreek and remaining salt. Gradually add water, creating a luxurious sauce that will envelope the chickpeas.
- Elevate heat to initiate a gentle simmer, then reduce to low. Allow the sauce to gradually thicken, stirring intermittently during a 10-15 minute transformation process.
- Perform a final seasoning assessment, adjusting salt to personal preference. Elegantly present the fragrant chickpea creation atop fluffy rice or warm naan, garnishing with freshly chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Switch up the heat by adjusting the serrano chile quantity for mild or spicy preferences, ensuring perfect flavor balance for every palate.
- Replace heavy cream with coconut milk to create a dairy-free version that maintains the luxurious, creamy texture of the original recipe.
- Toast whole spices before grinding to elevate the depth and intensity of the garam masala and cumin, releasing their essential aromatic oils and creating a more complex flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg