Coconut & Chickpea Curry

If you can believe, this started out as a sort of 'throw together everything I have' sort of a meal....at around midnight-thirty one night.  I rummaged through my cupboards and found that all I had was a splash of coconut milk, chickpeas, and, among other random things, red curry paste.  Naturally, when I set out to make this again, I embellished the simple recipe to be more agreeable to the masses, but nothing fussy.  Just cooked a bit of bulgur in a pot, chopped some fresh coriander, and toasted some almonds (a rather last minute addition, this one). 

Meals like this are so satisfying for me to make (and eat, of course).  I love bubbling, simmering pans on the stove while I do a bit of chopping or strewing of herbs.  It's like my own little symphony made not of musical instruments, but rather the flavours and aromas of promising saveur.



2 cloves, whole

half a cinnamon stick

2 cardamon pods, bruised

1/2t. turmeric

1c. buglur wheat

1/2c. white onion, chopped

2c. water

1c. coconut milk

3c. chickpeas, dried/cooked or canned

2t. red curry paste (more or less, for your preference)

-Gently saute the onion until it begins to colour, just slightly.  Toss in the spices and bulgur and toast until you begin to smell the spices.  Add the water, cover, and let cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes.

-Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas, coconut milk, and red curry paste in a pot and simmer until the bulgur is finished.

-If you want, toast some slivered or slice almonds in a dry pan and chop some fresh coriander to garnish with.

*If you are starting with dried chickpeas, soak them for 4-8 hours, at your convenience, drain, and simmer 20-60 minutes.  I use split chickpeas and they only take 20-25 minutes to cook.  Then, drain them again, and simmer them in the coconut milk (or use in any other recipe).

Tomato & Pea Curry (Pt. I)

I don't usually plan for left overs because it is so rare that we have any so when I had left overs of this curry, I decided to serve it differently each time until I used it all. It ended up lasting for three different meals (two for him, one for me).  There are three different ways that this curry made it's way into our meals this week.  The first, a curry with rice; the second, a sauce with seared fish; the third, made into a risotto.

Rice:

1/4c. yellow onion, chopped

2/3c. coconut milk

1c. water

1c. brown rice

1/2t. brown mustard seeds

1t. lime juice

Curry:
2 (15oz.) cans diced tomatoes in sauce
1/2c. water or chicken/vegetable stock
1/2c. yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1t. turmeric; garam masala; curry powder
1/2t. mustard powder
1.5 c. peas

Fresh coriander for serving

-The rice will take the longest, so start by sauteing the onion in a spot of oil until it begins to color.  Add, then, the rice, mustard seeds, coconut milk, and water.  This will take 30-40 minutes to cook, covered on a low flame.
-Meanwhile, for the curry, let the onions saute in a pot with some oil, adding the garlic in just as they being to color.  Add the spices and when everything has become fragrant, add the tomatoes and liquid and simmer until the rice is finished or about 20-30 minutes.  Add the peas at the end and let them heat through. 
-Add the lime juice to the rice and season both the rice and curry to your tastes before serving.

-Serve the curry over the rice and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

(Immediately pack up any left overs to use later, if you have any.)