I make a couple of different chickpea curries, they are both delicious but both taste quite different.
SPICY CHICKPEAS
This is my fave, its quite hot its a Madhur Jafferey recipe and its supposedly a dish sold in Delhi by street hawkers. I tend to make up two batches and freeze a batch. Its really easy to cook and takes approximately half hour to make. I usually serve it with a raita (nat yog, cucumber, mint and some ground cumin) and chappatis or sometimes just cous cous if im in a rush.
If you are soaking your own chickpeas then weigh out half the recommended amount cause they double in size and weight once finished soaking.
5 tbs veg oil (I usually dont make it with veg oil I just use fry light olive oil spray)
2 med size onions, peeled & finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, peeled & finely chopped
1 tbs ground coriander seeds
2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
6 tbsp of finely chopped fresh & skinned tomatoes or tinned toms
2 1/2 x 450g tins chick peas drained, or 675g home cooked, drained chickpeas
2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds (if youre not sure how to roast cumin seeds just pm me & I can explain its the easiest thing in the world)
1 tbs ground amchoor (this is mango powder but I have made it without this ingredient cause its hard to find)
2 tsp sweet/smoked paprika (again I have made it without sweet/smoked paprika or I have used just normal paprika)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs lemon juice (roughly juice of half a lemon)
1 fresh green chilli
2 tsp finely grated ginger
Heat oil, when hot add onions & garlic.
Stir and fry until a rich medium brown shade
Add coriander, cumin (not roasted cumin), cayenne and turmeric.
Stir for a few seconds.
Now add toms, stir and fry until toms are amalgamated.
Add chickpeas & 8floz of water.
Stir.
Add garam masala, ground roasted cumin, amchoor, paprika, salt & lemon juice, stir again.
Cover and turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove cover, add chilli and ginger, stir and cook for another 30 seconds then serve.
MOROCCAN CHICKPEAS & SPINACH
2 medium onions chopped
Fry light
1 tso cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
300ml veg stock
2 x 400g chick peas, drained (if soaking your own then I would use 335g dried weight)
4 ripe toms skinned & chopped (I have used a tin rather than fresh toms)
250g spinach washed
Spray a deep pan with fry light and on a medium heat add onions, cook stirring for 5 mins until turning brown.
Stir in cumin & garlic cook for a further 1 min.
Add rest of spices and mix well.
Pour in veg stock, bring to simmer and add chick peas and toms then simmer un-covered for 20 mins.
Meanwhile roughly shred spinach, put into large saucepan and cook for 2-3 mins until wilted.
Drain well through a sieve.
Add to chick peas and cook for 2-3 mins.
Season if needed.
This usually takes about 45 mins to make and again I seve with rice or chapatis with Raita,
Bon appetit!
