Sweet Potato Chana Masala

Mark mentioned that he wanted Sweet Potato Masala and that reminded me that I had a sweet potato and a yam on hand. Add some chickpeas that I cooked the night before and holy crap was this good. I also topped mine with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt but that is totally optional and without it, this meal is completely vegan. And probably not all that bad for you. And fairly easy to make. Definitely a huge win. 

1-2 sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed 

2 tablespoons oil, divided 

1 large yellow or white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon minced ginger (I used the kind in the tub, I think it comes out to about 1" of fresh ginger that has been peeled and grated) 

4 tablespoons garam masala 

2 teaspoons paprika

1-2 teaspoons salt, depending on preference 

black pepper, to taste 

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups cooked chickpeas*

1 can full fat coconut milk + 1 can of water

1. Preheat oven to 425 

2. Toss the cubed potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil or spray potatoes with cooking spray, place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender 

3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining oil in a large dutch oven. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and stirring often, cook the onions until tender and translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for about 2 more minutes, or until fragrant. 

4. Stir in the roasted sweet potato, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, chickpeas and coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 

5. Taste test and adjust seasonings if need be. Serve with steamed rice. 

I like to top this with a dollop of 2% plain yogurt especially Fage because it's the best tasting to me. 

*I cooked the chickpeas the night before by simmering them on the stove for about 3 hours with vegetable broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. You can use canned ones if you'd like just be sure to rinse them first