Slow-cooker chili is great, but if you're looking for a "set it and forget it" recipe with a little more spice, pick up a copy of author Neela Paniz's The New Indian Slow Cooker. This collection of classic Indian recipes made even simpler with your slow-cooker is a surefire way to ease into fall and winter cuisine. First up, the most appealing chickpea dish we've heard of in a while…

Many times during my college days, I’d come home in the late afternoon and raid the kitchen, hoping that Chandan, our cook, had prepared chana masala that day. His preparation had a lot of gravy and chiles, and was delightful over rice in a bowl along with some kachumber, a chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. I simply loved it! The recipe here is more in keeping with the traditional amount of masala or gravy, but should you wish to thin it out, just add more water (I have given you a range). You may also adjust the salt, and maybe add some more chile!

Sometimes I think that the slow cooker was built specifically for dishes like this one. In the past, one would have to remember to soak the chickpeas overnight to soften, and then cook them for hours. With the slow cooker, one can rest assured that after 10 hours of stewing without attention, the chickpeas are cooked to perfection. 

Reprinted with permission from The New Indian Slow Cooker