Chickpeas & Potato Curry

A hearty curry that's both healthy and tasty is always a great dinner option. This vegan curry is a delight with rice or roti/breads and is so easy to make that it's a weekly dish for us.

Here it is, my version of CHICKPEAS & POTATO CURRY (ALOO CHANNA CURRY):

Ingredients:

400-500 grams Chickpeas soaked & cooked (you can also use canned Chickpeas), 1 tomato chopped, 1 onion chopped, 1-2 potatoes diced, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp red chilli, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, water to cook, salt to taste, a bit of oil, handful chopped coriander.

Make:

1. In a pan, saute the onion, chilli, turmeric powder, garlic and ginger until there is a lovely roast aroma.

2. Add in tomato and mix, followed by potato and cooked Chickpeas. Mix in the garam masala and cumin powder and cook for a few minutes.

3. Put in tomato paste and add a little water to adjust the consistency to a nice gravy. Add salt, cover and cook for 10 minutes. 

4. Let the curry rest for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander and serve hot with rice or rotis. Enjoy!

Ragda Chaat (Spicy Chickpeas Salsa)

The spicy, tangy, sweet, crunchy, juicy and just plain DELICIOUS flavours of Chaats...Indian street food which is basically irreplaceable! Anyone who has enjoyed this taste will surely want to have more. 

One of the best things about chaats is that they are easy to create as there is no special formula to follow, throw together a few of your favourite ingredients and you can whip up a mouth watering snack in very little time. This is where I like to make things a little healthier than the traditional methods.

So here it is, my version of the very yummy RAGDA CHAAT :)

Ingredients: 1 cup boiled chickpeas (or you can use canned chickpeas if you prefer), 1 cup boiled potato cubes, handful of papdi (or crispy wheat crackers if you want to keep it lighter), 1 tomato chopped small, 1 onion chopped small, handful of pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander, 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder, sev. For the chickpea masala, you will need 1 table spoon tomato paste/puree, 1 onion chopped, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.

Make: In a non stick pan, heat a little oil and put in cumin seeds and chilli powder. Add 1 chopped onion and saute. Now add in the boiled chickpeas, potato cubes and mix. Add tomato paste/puree, garam masala, salt to taste and a little water. Cover and let it simmer.

On your serving plate, crush the papdi/wheat crackers to form the bottom layer. Spread the chickpeas masala on top, sprinkle chaat masala, then layer with chopped fresh tomato and onion, followed by sev, coriander and pomegranate. Serve nice and hot! 

Besan Burfi (Chickpea Flour Fudge)

When the Indian festive season is here, it's often a season of sweets! With busy routines and days, it can be hard to find the time to make traditional sweet treats made on festive occasions. 

I find this little treat an easy one to whip up quickly and hassle free and apart from the sugar involved it's probably on the healthier side too, being gluten free! 

Here it is, my easy version of the traditional BESAN BURFI (Chickpea Flour Fudge):

Ingredients: Half cup melted ghee (clarified butter), 2 cups besan (chickpea) flour, 2 teaspoons cardamom powder. For the sugar syrup: 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water.

Make: In a non stick pan mix the ghee and besan flour while stirring continuously on low flame, to ensure no lumps. After about 15 minutes of stirring and mixing the aroma of the besan will release and it will be golden brown in colour. Keep it aside and make the sugar syrup. 

In a separate dish mix the sugar and water and bring to boil. It should take around 6 to 7 minutes to form a one thread consistency. 

Then pour the sugar syrup into the besan and ghee mixture and stir on low flame. Once the whole mixture starts to leave the sides, pour into a greased tray and pat down firmly, cut into desired shape. You may add nuts for garnish at this stage, or roll into balls instead. Let it cool completely and enjoy!

Spiced Cauliflower Rice & Roasted Chickpeas

A hearty, delicious and healthy lunch is not always possible to put together especially on busy days where time is precious and list of to do's are too long!

Here's a quick meal including a side dish (now that's pretty fancy for a busy day lunch) which you can put together within minutes by preparing a few things the night before.

It's always a hit at our household and very healthy with a nice serve of veggies and protein :) Here is is, my SPICED CAULIFLOWER RICE & ROASTED CHICKPEAS.

Ingredients for Roasted Chickpeas: 1 can of preboiled chickpeas, chilli flakes, salt.

Make: Grab a thick bottomed pan and put in chilli flakes into a bit of oil, add the chickpeas (double washed out of can), salt to taste and roast till golden brown - should take just a few minutes. 

Ingredients for Spiced Cauliflower Rice: 1 cup of cooked rice (can be made night before), 1 cup of chopped cauliflower florets, half cup chopped carrots, handful of frozen peas or corn kernels, 1 fresh tomato chopped, 1 onion chopped, chilli powder, 1 spoon cumin seeds, 1 spoon mustard seeds, salt, olive oil, cumin powder.

Make: In a non stick pan, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil with cumin seeds and mustard seeds, then add all the chopped veggies. Roast on high flame for a few minutes, add cumin powder, chilli powder and salt. When mixed well, add in the cooked rice and combine well. Done! 

There it is, a healthy, hot cooked meal ready to enjoy for lunch :) 

Eggplant & Chickpeas Spaghetti

Eggplant lover? TICK! Chickpeas lover? TICK! Spaghetti lover??? Well you simply cannot go wrong with this fabulous dish which is personally one of my all time favourties and comfort meals! After a busy day at work or a cold winters day out...coming home to whip up this quick and easy meal is not only delicious but a joy to cook :)

Well, here it is..my protein loaded yet carb-loading treat. 

Eggplant and Chickpeas Spaghetti (which can also be made with any type of pasta).

Ingredients (for two): 1 large eggplant/aubergine/brinjal, 2 tomatoes, 1 cup of boiled chickpeas (can use canned chickpeas), handful of spring onions or spinach, 1 onion, 1 tablespoon crushed garlic, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, spaghetti or any type of pasta.

Make: In a large dish, bring water to boil and cook your pasta/spaghetti for about 10 to 14 minutes until cooked. While this is happening, make the vegetable mixture in a non stick pan. Add olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes and onions and saute until onions are golden. Add the chopped eggplant and roast for 5 to 8 minutes until it looks golden brown and roasted. Add the chickpeas and chopped tomato, mixing well until the tomato has formed sauce. Now add in the cooked pasta/spaghetti, add salt and pepper. Mix well, add more olive oil if needed. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion and serve hot. Enjoy!!

Spicy Vegetable Stack with Chilli Chickpeas

Roasted vegetables & crisp pastry stacked with tomato and onion relish, with a generous serving of pan fried chilli infused chickpeas....now this is what I call a party in your mouth! So many unique flavours coming togethter to make one delicious, healthy and hearty meal.

My Spicy Vegetable Stack was thoroughly enjoyed and here's how easy it is to create this wonderful dish!

 

Ingredients for two stacks: 
1 potato, 1 zucchini, 1 capsicum, 1/4 pumpkin, 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 200 grams cooked chickpeas, chilli flakes, salt, few spoons oil for pan frying, 1 sheet puff pastry sheet cut into small portions.
   
Make:
Lightly pan fry with chilli flakes, all vegetables cut into large pieces until cooked but still crispy. Add salt as required.

To make tomato relish, simply cook chopped onion and tomatoes together and add salt (and chilli powder if required) for flavour.

On an oven bake tray, lay down first piece of puff pastry, then stack various vegetables on top followed by tomato relish then another piece of puff pastry etc. Use a bamboo skewer to hold the stack in place. Place completed stacks in oven at 160deg, until you can see the puff pastry is crisp and well baked (should take about 20 minutes).

To make chilli chickpeas, pan fry chopped onions, chilli flakes and cooked chickpeas until you achieve the char-grilled look.

Prepare your plate with your Spicy Vegetable Stack, chilli chickpeas and salad, as seen in our photo above. Enjoy!!