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. III)

For the last bit of curry left, the only thing that I could think of to do with it so as not to make for a boring left-over meal was to use it in a risotto.  I happen to be rather a big fan of risottos, keeping the necessities on hand so that I always have a back up meal.  Once you have the method down, it is such a wonderful thing to have at your disposal, as proved by this, Tomato & Pea Risotto with Portobello mushrooms.  Really the only thing Italian about this dish is the arborio rice, and perhaps the mushroom; however, the curry flavour is so mild that one's pallet won't be confused by it.  I thought to add fresh coriander to the finished product for a bit of green and also that wonderful fresh flavour that coriander is just full of.

(This will make enough for two, or one very hungry/greedy person- not that there is anything wrong with that.)

2/3c. arboio rice

1c. (left over) curry

2c. chicken stock (or other liquid)

2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced

Fresh coriander

-Combine the curry mixture and the chicken stock in a pan and heat through.

-In a separate pan, pour in a spot of oil and the rice and heat through. 

-Continue with the traditional risotto method of gradually adding the liquid (warmed curry & stock) and stirring a bit after each adition.  This should take 30 minutes, give or take a few.

-In yet another pan, (I know!) saute the mushroom caps and add a dash of sherry or sherry vinegar at the end if you have some to hand.

-Stir the cooked mushrooms through the finished risotto, remembering to season, and serve with the fresh coriander.

Thus, I am finished with the Tomato & Pea Curry series!  I hope you enjoyed it!

Tomato & Pea Curry (Pt. II)

When looking at the curry from more of a side dish/sauce perspective, I thought that it would be lovely with a piece of seared white fish.  I used Mahi Mahi only because I had it on hand but any other fillet of white fish would be fine here.

1 (3oz.) fillet of white fish

garam masala

ginger

salt

1c. (leftover or fresh) Tomato & Pea Curry

fresh coriander

-Put a small non-stick skillet on to preheat.  In the meantime, sprinkle the spices and salt over both sides of the fish.  Drizzle or spray a bit of oil in the pan and sear the fish for 2-3 minutes per side.

-Heat the curry in a small sauce pan while the fish is cooking.

- Serve the seared fish in a puddle of the warmed curry sauce and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

If this seems a bit light for you, then couscous or warmed pita would also be nice here, as neither take much time at all to prepare.

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.)