Chickpea Minestrone

Chickpea Minestrone

This recipe is adapted from the Vegetarian Times magazine. It was really easy to put together and made for a very satisfying warm bowl of comfort during this winter season.

Here's how I made Chickpea Minestrone:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup mixed frozen veggies (I used Trader Joes vegetable melange)
1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas
2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup small pasta (I used whole grain shell pasta)
Seasonings - 1 tsp salt or to taste, pinch of sugar, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp dried sage, 1/2 tsp dried basil
Garnish - red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a pot and saute the onions on medium heat for 5 mins or until soft. Add the garlic and saute 2-3 mins. Add the frozen mixed veggies and frozen spinach. Save 1/4 cup each of the tomatoes and chickpeas. Add the rest to the pot along with the broth and the seasonings.

Blend the reserved tomatoes and chickpeas roughly and add to the pot. Mix well and bring to a boil. Then add the pasta and cook for 10 mins stirring occasionally. Add more broth or water if needed to get consistency desired

Serve hot garnished with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese if desired.

This bowl of Chickpea Minestrone goes to the MLLA # 79 event at Lisa's Kitchen. This event was started by Susan.

Couscous with Chickpea Curry

Couscous with Chickpea Curry

This is the first time I made this dish. I adapted from a recipe I had noted down a while back, but do not have the source reference for it. It turned out so well, hence thought of sharing it here. I will be making this often henceforth.

Here's how I made Couscous with Chickpea Curry:

To cook the couscous - Heat 1 tsp olive oil on medium heat, add 1 cup couscous and roast for about 7 mins stirring often. Then add 1 cup boiling water, about 1/4 tsp salt, cover and cook on low heat for 12 to 15 mins until all water is absorbed and couscous is cooked.

For the chickpea curry - Heat 2 tsp olive oil on medium heat. Fry 1/2 cup finely chopped onions in it for 5 mins till slightly softened. Add 1 tsp minced garlic and 1/2 cup diced bell peppers. Fry another 5 mins. Then add 1 cup vegetable broth, 1/2 cup tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd, 1 tsp cumin pwd, pinch of sugar and one can drained and rinsed chickpeas. Stir, cover and bring to a boil on gentle heat.

Then add the cooked couscous and mix in gently. Check seasonings and adjust as needed. Cover and heat thru for few mins. Take off heat and squeeze about 1 tsp lemon juice over it. Serve warm, garnished with shredded carrots, chopped cilantro.

Next time I will also use handful of nuts (pistachio/walnuts/pine nuts) to garnish.

Paneer - Chole Spinach Curry

This recipe is adapted from the Indian Cooking without fat book by Mridula Baljekar. I had borrowed it from the library and the moment I read the title of this recipe I fell for it - you can't go wrong with this wonderful combination of paneer, chole and spinach - all my favorites. Plus her way of pre-cooking the paneer to help it absorb the curry flavors really intrigued me and I have followed this method ever since with excellent results.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup cubed paneer - drop in boiling water and drain after 1 min.
1 can chole/garbanzo beans/chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 cup roughly chopped spinach
1 onion - chopped
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
2 tomatoes chopped
Salt & Sugar to taste
Other spices  - 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd., 1 tsp cumin pwd., 1 tsp coriander pwd., 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd, 1/4 tsp garam masala pwd.
1 tbsp oil

Heat the oil. Fry the onions for 5 -10 mins until soft. Add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry 2 mins. Add the tomatoes. Cook on low 5 - 10 mins until very soft. Cool slightly and grind to a puree. Return to the pot. Add the chole, paneer, spinach, salt, sugar and all the other spice pwds. Mix well. Simmer on medium low for 5 - 10 mins.

This goes well with any kind of Indian bread or rice dish.

This curry goes to the Letz Relish Paneer event at Taste Appetite.

This Paneer-Chole-Spinach curry also goes to the Show Me Your curry event at Divya's Dil-Se.

Chickpea Salad

These kinds of salads rule my lunch box these days. They are a snap to put together in the mornings and the flavors are well blended by lunch time. The original recipe, from Vegetarian Times, was for Tacos stuffed with this salad, but I just omit the tacos.

Here's how I put it together:

1 can of chickpeas - drained, rinsed and microwaved for 2 mins

1 cup of salsa per your choice

1 avocado - sliced

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Other seasonings as desired like Mrs. Dash, hot sauce etc.

Toss all these together. Carry the lettuce separately. Just before eating, toss the lettuce with the salad.

This Chickpea Salad goes to the Show Me Your Lunchbox Event at Divya's Dil Se.

Chickpea Croquettes

This recipe is from a recent issue of Vegetarian Times. I have recently started subscribing to this magazine, so hopefully will be posting more of their wonderful recipes.

Here's how I made them:

1 15 oz. can chickpeas - rinsed & drained

1/2 cup gram flour (besan)

2 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp chilli pwd

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 cup onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic - minced

Microwave the chickpeas for a couple of minutes to slightly soften them. Add all of the other ingredients along with upto 1/2 cup hot water to the chickpeas. (In response to Sra's comment, I am adding here that at this stage the chickpeas, due to being microwaved and also due to addition of the hot water, do get ever so slightly mashed, but do retain their shape). Combine well. Shape into croquettes/tikkis. Shallow fry on a non-stick griddle with a drop or two of oil until golden brown on both sides.

I served these with a Greek Salad topping as in the magazine. To make the topping, combine chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice, feta cheese, salt & pepper.

These Chickpea Croquettes are off to the Legume Love Affair being hosted by Sra of When my soup came alive. This event was started by Susan The Well Seasoned Cook.