Chickpea Curry
There has been a whole lot of nothing going on around here lately thanks to the Snowpocalypse in Portland. The 8-12″ of snow is only just starting to melt. It’s going to be a slow, slow process. As easy as it would be to cook right now, it’s important to get out those nearby businesses and support them. This can’t be easy.
This was deliciously spicy. Two very simple things [chickpeas and tomatoes] shouldn’t taste so good, but they do. It’s amazing what seasoning can do. I’m looking forward to making this again now that I have my very own mortar and pestle to mix things like ginger, Serrano chile, and garlic together. I’m convinced the flavor will be even better. The little food processor worked just fine, though. Faster too. Thanks to that chile, the leftovers are going to get hotter as the flavors marinate. That’s just the way it goes.
I shoveled this in with a spoon, without rice or naan, but I wouldn’t have said no if it was presented to me. I was feeling lazy. Also lazy is not having fresh cilantro around. That would be the perk of having a little rabbit like my friend Emma has, but that’s just not happening.
Inspiration: Eating Well
Ingredients
- 1 small Serrano, seeds removed
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2″ piece of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 6 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 28oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- cilantro and fresh lime for garnish
Preparation
In a small food processor, chop the Serrano, garlic, and ginger finely. You can do this with a knife if you’re so inclined. Add the onion and pulse until it all comes together. Don’t over pulse or it will become a watery mess.
Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Add the coriander, cumin, and turmeric and stir. It should be evenly incorporated into the mixture and smell heavenly. Cook that for two minutes. Keep stirring so the spices don’t stick and burn.
Add the chopped tomatoes and about a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally for about five minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and garam masala. Cover the mixture and cook for another five minutes. Top with cilantro and lime juice before serving.