Chana Masala 

My mom knocked on the door eagerly as I hid behind her, not wanting to meet the cousins I’d only met as a kid. Going to a relative’s house was always the most awkward experience as everyone tried to fill the silence with the questions you’re supposed to ask people when you meet them. It was the most embarrassing when you’d ask a question twice and only realize after receiving awkward glances from them. 

We sat down facing each other as our moms talked continuously trying to get us to remember each other from when we were both two. Our only shields were our younger siblings who we hid behind and tried to change the topic too. My aunt called us to the kitchen trying to jog our memories about when we first tried her chana masala. As she continued to recount how I have always loved her food, we stood there quietly watching as she took the chickpeas that had been soaking in water for 8 hours and put them in a pressure cooker. She then added the baking soda, salt, and 3 cups of water. 

Once they finally gave up, we decided that it was time to stop acting like strangers. “Hey, you want to go down and see my cat?” my cousin asked and I nodded my head eagerly. My mom always talked about all the cats (seven, to be exact) she had while growing up and I had always wanted myself. As it turned out, my cousin’s cat was actually a stray that lived in their apartment’s parking. As we peeked under cars trying to find him, we bonded over all the most random moments in our life. We found her cat sneaking around in some bushes as my cousin called him with the sound of fresh milk splashing against the bowl. He came straight away and I was surprised at how much he trusted her simply because of the love she gave him through food. 

I heard the whistle of the pressure cooker coming from my cousin’s apartment above as my aunt called us up. Back inside we talked to each other about everything we could think of as my aunt started making the curry. In a large dish, she heated ghee (clarified butter) and sauteed the cardamom, bay leaf, and cumin until the spices turned aromatic. Next, she added the onion, chili, and ginger garlic paste and continued stirring until the onions turned a crisp golden brown. She then added in the prepared chana masala powder and salt and cooked on low flame until the whole apartment smelled like a rich burst of spices.

“Food will be ready in 30 minutes”, my aunt called behind us as we ran to my cousin’s room, our younger siblings following us. We sat on the bed laughing as she told me about all her neighbors - the ones who she thought were plotting something and the old grumpy ones who had caught her ding-dong ditching them. She then remembered their apartment’s attic which she was convinced was haunted and ran out the door wanting to show it to me. In the kitchen, humming to herself, my aunt prepared the tomato puree and stirred it in with the rest of the curry. To prepare tomato puree, she blended two ripened tomatoes to a smooth paste without adding any water. She then added in the pressure-cooked chana and mixed well adjusting the consistency.

We ran back into the house, our tummies rumbling with hunger, and sat down excitedly at the table. My aunt removed the chana from the stove, which had been simmering for 10 minutes so that the flavors would be well absorbed, and served it to us with freshly made puris. We were all filled with joy as we dug into the rich, creamy masala and its exquisite taste. If you happened to pass by, you’d find the delightful aroma of food made with love mixed in gently with the sound of happiness.