Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Chickpea Curry with Fresh Dill Leaves served with Marathi Yellow Fried Rice

Whew!  That's a long title. 

This dish consited of two parts.  One: the curry itself and Two: the flavorful rice it is served over.

I made the rice first.  Let me tell you, this was hands down the most deliscious rice I have ever eaten in my entire life!  I am serious.  I didn;t want to waste my time making the curry, but since I figured we needed the protien from the chick peas I went ahead and finished cooking.

The curry is good, a strong dill flavor that I liked, but the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of cayanne.  This was too much!  It is not that the cayanne made the dish to hot, rather the heat from the cayanne did not mesh well with the dill.  In my version below I am halving the cayanne, but I think you could omit it completely if you like.

Chickpea Curry with Fresh Dill Leaves
Serves 4 in 20 minutes

$1.50 per serving: Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-free

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayanne

  • 1 teaspoon ground corriander

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root (about a 2-inch piece)

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric

  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (or a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained)

  • 3 cups finely chopped fresh dill including stalks (about 2 bunches)

  • One 15.5 ounce can low-sodium chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 teaspoon salt
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onion over medium heat until it has softened, about 5 minutes.  Add all the spices (except salt) and stir for 3 to 4 minutes.  Mix in the tomato and cook until it is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the dill, chickpeas, water and salt.  Simmer until the dill is soft and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve warm, over rice.

Marathi Yellow Fried Rice
Serves 4 in 15 minutes

$0.50 per serving: Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free 

  • 1/4 cup canola oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 2 medium green serrano chilies, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds

  • 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1/2 tespoon ground tumeric

  • 5 cups cooked white rice, pre-cooked and at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 teaspoon salt*

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/4 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves, minced (optional)
*Use leftover rice.  If you salted the rice when you originally made it, use 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.  If not, use 2 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat.  When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan immediately.  After the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the chilies.  When the chilies are toasted, add the onion and stri-fry until the onion is golden around the edges.  Add the turmeric, stir well, and take off the heat.

Add the rice, lemon juice, salt, and sugar to the pan, and toss until all the ingredients are yellow.  

Return the wok to low heat, cover, and steam until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Both recipes are from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate.

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