Chickpeas Are Forever

A friend asked me for a recipe with chickpeas, and how could I resist?

After all, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are only my favorite legumes in the whole world. Not only are they delicious and healthy, of course, but the texture and taste are hearty enough to satisfy any palate- even that of the most die-hard meat-eater.

I wanted to make something more special, though, than a chhole or a hummus, the dishes I tend to cook most often with chickpeas. So I did something decadent- I put together my three most favorite ingredients in one dish. Chickpeas, coconut and potatoes. Can food get any better?

You will need garam masala for this dish, and while I already have one recipe for garam masala on my blog, I made it slightly differently here so I am going to give you that recipe too. But feel free to use store-bought if you don't want to go to the extra trouble.

This dish would make for a very special dinner, paired with something like my raisin and nut pilaf or even with rotis or chapatis.

Enjoy!

Chickpeas Are Forever Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas, soaked for at least 2 hours, then cooked until tender. {It's fine to use canned. Substitute with 2 1/2 cups canned chickpeas and drain and rinse thoroughly before using).

1 medium red onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced, plus 1 tomato, sliced for garnish

2 medium potatoes, diced and cooked until tender. (I just bung them in the microwave for about 4 minutes after dicing, with about 1/2 cup water)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp red chili powder

1 cup light coconut milk (if using regular, halve the quantity)

Salt to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish

1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

Juice of half a lemon

Garam masala:

4 cloves

3 green cardamom pods

1-inch stick of cinnamon

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

Roast the ingredients in a dry skillet over medium-low heat about 5 minutes or until the spices smell fragrant. Remove to a plate, cool, then powder in a coffee grinder.

Heat oil in a saucepan.

Add the onion and saute about 5 minutes over medium heat until the onions begin to caramelize slightly.

Add the garlic and stir for another minute until the garlic no longer smells raw.

Add the powdered spices- the turmeric, chili powder and all of the garam masala. Stir for another minute.

Add the tomatoes. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, until you see the oil beginning to separate, around five minutes.

Add the potatoes and chickpeas and stir thoroughly. Add salt to taste.

Let the mixture come to a boil, turn down the heat,and simmer for another 5 minutes. Mash some of the chickpeas and poatoes with the back of a ladle to thicken the sauce.

Add the coconut milk and turn off the heat. Stir the coconut milk in.

Add the cilantro and tomatoes for garnish. Spritz with some lemon. Serve hot!