Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, coriander and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Puree the sauce with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the sauce to the pot, if necessary, and add chickpeas, lemon juice and the remaining pinch of salt. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
Tip
Opting for reduced-fat coconut milk in this recipe adds plenty of richness while saving more than 50 calories per serving compared to regular coconut milk. If you want to cut back even more, choose light coconut milk and you'll save more than 90 calories per serving.
