Cooking Indian food can seem extremely intimidating. Trust me, I know. I spent 20 years watching my mother cook up all sorts of Indian delicacies in our kitchen yet always remained too scared to try any of the recipes myself — that is, until this past term. I finally got around to asking my mother for her recipes and making Indian food for my friends. And guess what? It’s not that bad. In fact, the only things that really matter are patience, the right spices, and a little confidence!

This recipe for spiced chickpeas is super healthy and works as a great dinner all on its own, wrapped up in a tortilla or over rice. It also tastes great with a side of raita, or Indian yogurt. Once you’ve mastered this recipe, try out some other Indian staples like Curried Lentil Soup or Chicken Tikka Masala!

Priya Krishna is a junior at Dartmouth College studying Government and French. She hosted her first Indian-themed dinner party this winter and is also an avid listener of Bollywood music — just ask her roommates.

**Recipe**

Indian Spiced Chickpeas
Courtesy of Ritu Krishna, the best cook I know!
Serves 1-2

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
Finely chopped fresh ginger (about a thumb’s worth)
1 can of diced tomatoes
3-4 diced fresh tomatoes
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1 medium-sized can of chickpeas
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Get a shallow pot, warm the olive oil and add the cumin. Once it starts to splatter, add the turmeric and cook for a minute or two. Add the chopped onions and ginger and stir fry the mixture for 3-4 minutes.

Put in the canned and fresh tomatoes, and let the dish cook for another 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

Finally, add the can of chickpeas, the lime juice and yogurt and let cook for about 20 minutes so that the chickpeas have time to soften up and become infused with the flavor of the spices. Top the final product with fresh cilantro, and that’s it!