Recipe - Quick Chickpea Curry

1 One half cup Dried chickpeas; picked over
and rinsed
1 tablespoon Oil
1 tablespoon Cumin seed
1 tablespoon Black mustard seeds;
(optional)
One half teaspoon Fenugreek or fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
Three fourths teaspoon Ground turmeric
Three fourths teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 Bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon Ground red pepper or crushed
red pepper; (1/8 to 1/4)
1 lg Onion; coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh ginger root; grated or
Three fourths tsp ground ginger
2 cup Water; (2 to 3) or vegetable
broth unsalted or lightly
salted
3 cup Loosely packed chopped fresh
spinach; Swiss chard, beet
greens, watercress, or
arugula, or one
1 pack Frozen chopped spinach; (10
ounce) thawed and excess
moisture squeezed out
2 lg Plum tomatoes; coarsely
chopped or 1 large
beefsteak tomato
Sea salt or tamari soy sauce

1. To "speedsoak" chickpeas: In 6quart pressure cooker, combine 4 cups
water and the beans. (If using a jiggletop cooker, add 1 One half tablespoons
oil.) Lock lid into place and heat to high pressure over high heat. Reduce
heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook 3 minutes. Let pressure
drop naturally for 10 to 15 minutes (see " Releasing Pressure"). Or
"slowsoak" chickpeas: Eight to 12 hours before cooking, in large bowl,
combine chickpeas and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover bowl and set
chickpeas aside to soak.

2. Drain soaked chickpeas, rinse, and set aside. In 4 or 6quart pressure
cooker, heat oil over medium heat. Add cumin, mustard, and fenugreek seeds
and toast, stirring constantly, until they begin to pop and emit a fragrant
aroma 20 to 30 seconds. (Spices can burn easily, so pay close attention,
if they begin to darken as soon as they are added, turn off heat, and toast
in residual heat, stirring constantly.)

3. Stir in coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, bay leaf, and red pepper. Add
onion and ginger. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften 1 to 2
minutes. Stir in chickpeas and just enough of the water to cover.

4. Lock lid into place, heat to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat
to just enough to maintain high pressure and cook 10 minutes. Let pressure
drop naturally for 10 minutes (see " Releasing Pressure"). Remove lid,
opening it away from you, to allow any remaining steam to escape.

5. If chickpeas are not tender, lock lid back into place and return to high
pressure a few more minutes. Reduce pressure using quickrelease method.

6. To thicken curry, with slotted spoon, remove about 1 cup of chickpeas to
bowl and mash well with fork or puree in food processor. Stir back into
cooker. Remove bay leaf.

7. Stir spinach, tomatoes, and salt to taste into curry. Simmer until
spinach is cooked 2 to 3 minutes.

http://dynamic.homearts.com/cgibin/food

From Ellen C. ellen@elekta.com

Per serving: 1570 Calories; 40g Fat (22% calories from fat); 85g Protein;
243g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 597mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 12
Starch/Bread; 4 One half Lean Meat; 10 Vegetable; 4 One half Fat

NOTES : The chickpeas in this thick sauce are quick to absorb the flavors
of the homemade curry blend. Serve them over brown basmati rice and add a
salad or a steamed vegetable for a complete meal.

Recipe by: Lorna Sass, Complete Vegetarian Kitchen

Posted to EATLF Digest by "Ellen C." ellen@brakes.elekta.com on Jun 7,
1999, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.