• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 2" stick cinnamon (optional)
  
• 6 cloves, crushed (optional)
  
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed (optional)
  
• 2 teaspoon INDIAN curry powder (see NOTE below)
  
• 2 or 3 tablespoon tomato ketchup
  
• 2 14-16 oz. cans chick peas (garbanzos)
  
• 1 bunch coriander leaves (

Although this is not absolutely authentic, it's quick (unlike most
Indian dishes), and easily made for a delicious approximation of the
real thing. Adding the optional ingredients helps the flavor, but a
quick-and-dirty onion-garlic-curry powder-ketchup-chick peas version
isn't too bad, either.

Fry the onions in oil at medium-high heat until golden and
translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, fry for a minute. Add
cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, fry for a minute (until the kitchen
begins to smell really good!). Now add the curry powder to the
onions, fry for a minute or two. As the mixture begins to stick, add
the ketchup to make it more pliable. Keep on frying for about 5
minutes, stirring fairly constantly. Once this "base masala" is ready
(one hint is if the oil starts separating from the mixture), just add
the chickpeas, including the water they are in. Stir to mix, heat
until it boils, then cover and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for
15 minutes, take off heat and stir in coriander leaves. Serve hot,
with heated pita, tortillas, Indian vegan bread (roti, naan or puri) or
rice.

NOTE: McCormick's or other American "curry powder" just isn't as good
as the powder you can find in Indian stores. In case you are finicky
and an Indian store isn't easily available, a fair approximation can
be made with 1/2 tsp. corinader, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. turmeric,
1/4-1/2 tsp. hot chile powder.