Chickpea Curry With A Touch Of Fennel Recipes

EASY CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• In a large, heavy bottomed pot or high-walled pan, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the sliced onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and deep golden, about 15 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the onions get dry.
• Increase the heat to medium. Add the curry powder and cumin and stir until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden or rubber spoon to release the any browned spices or onions stuck to the bottom.
• Pour in the coconut milk and add the chickpeas the pot. Stir and reduce to low heat. Let simmer until the sauce is thickened and the chickpeas are slightly softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust other seasonings as necessary.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges over basmati rice and/or with naan.

CHICKPEA COCONUT CURRY

Steps:

• Measure spices into a bowl including coriander, cumin, turmeric, fennel, cinnamon, mustard, cloves, cardamom, paprika, pepper to taste,* and cayenne pepper to taste.*
• Heat olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan or a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until lightly golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add garlic and ginger and saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, add spices and saute 30 seconds.
• Pour and stir in tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring just to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer 10 minutes.
• Carefully pour mixture into a blender. Cover blender with lid and remove center insert from lid and cover with a kitchen towel or several folded layer of paper towels. Blend on low speed until smooth.
• Return mixture to pan, add chick peas, season with salt to taste. Cover while leaving lid partially open for steam to escape.** Cook over low heat stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced slightly and chick peas have absorbed some flavor, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in lime. Serve warm over rice if desired, garnish with cilantro.

CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• To make the paste, heat a little of the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add 1 diced onion and 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli, and cook until softened, about 8 mins.
• In a food processor, combine 9 garlic cloves, a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger and the remaining oil, then add 1 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp tomato purée, ½ tsp salt and the fried onion. Blend to a smooth paste - add a drop of water or more oil, if needed.
• Cook the paste in a medium saucepan for 2 mins over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
• Tip in two 400g cans drained chickpeas and a 400g can chopped tomatoes, and simmer for 5 mins until reduced down.
• Add 100g creamed coconut with a little water, cook for 5 mins more, then add ½ small pack chopped coriander and 100g spinach, and cook until wilted.
• Garnish with extra coriander and serve with rice or dhal (or both).

CHICKPEA CURRY WITH A TOUCH OF FENNEL

Steps:

• In a frying pan put the butter, diced onion, by leaves, cardamom (remove seeds from the pod and powder them), cinnamon, garlic, ginger, cloves, fennel seeds and the diced tomato.
• Fry over medium heat until the onion is golden. Use a large spoon to mash up the tomato as it cooks.
• Add the cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, salt, and fresh cilantro. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and their liquid. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and a thick sauce has formed.
• Turn off the heat and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
• Serve with rice or Indian bread.
• Notes: Instead of butter you can add ghee (clarified butter). Reduce the cayenne if you don't want it to be spicy.