Chana Masala

ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes, or an 8 oz can of diced tomatoes (you can add quite a few more fresh tomatoes if you prefer, but I wouldnt add more than 16 oz of canned tomatoes because they just aren't all that exciting)
  
• 3-4 medium onions
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 5 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp turmeric
• 5 tsp coriander powder
• 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick (the stick is best)
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)
  
• 1 tsp ginger powder (optional)
  
• 1/4 -1/2 cup heavy cream OR 1/3-1/2 cup of sour cream, yogurt, greek yogurt or labne
• 3-4 cans chick peas
• 1 large bunch cilantro- chopped (or 2 bunches if you're a big cilantro fan)

Directions:

• open the cans of chick peas and rinse them
• saute onions in olive oil till translucent in a large pot. add the spices.
• When the onions are well coated, add 3 -4 cans of chick peas. let simmer for a while. If you wait too long to add the chick peas, the spices will start to burn.
  
• add the tomatoes and the tomato paste. let simmer. if its drying out add small amounts of water. when it looks well steeped and flavored, add the cream. Let simmer for about 5-8 more minutes. add the chopped cilantro. stir till it slightly wilts.

Vegetarian Chili

(a super easy recipe)
ingredients:

• 2 cans pinto beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 2 cans black beans
• (or you can do 1 pinto, 2 kidney, or any other similar bean. just don't use chick peas or lentils. )
• 1 can corn, or about 1- 1.5 cups frozen corn (I prefer the frozen)
• 1 small can tomato paste (this is crucial- otherwise the chili will be watery).
  
• 1 16 oz can diced or chopped tomatoes (in a pinch, you can do without this).
  
• olive oil
• garlic (jarred is fine)
• tumeric
• cumin
• chili pepper flakes

Directions:

• add about 4 tbs olive oil to a large pot.
• Add in about 4 tsp crushed garlic
• Let garlic brown. Add about 1.5 tsp chili pepper flakes. This wont make it too spicy and its important to let the pepper sauté at this point
• Add about 1 tbs cumin and 2 tsp tumeric.
• Quickly stir in all the beans. If cant stir them all in make sure to stir in at least one can so that the spices don’t burn.
• Let simmer for about 5 min.
• Then add in all the tomato products
• Let simmer.
• Will be done in 5 min, but gets tastier if you let it simmer on low for closer to 20 min.
• If you want to make it spicier- put in more pepper flakes at the beginning and then add some ground cayenne pepper while its simmering.