Chickpeas with Mushrooms

As I noted in a previous post where I announced a giveaway for Madhur Jaffrey's new cookbook At Home with Madhur Jaffrey, the first recipe I tried from this delightful collection was this spicy Chickpea and Mushroom dish. How could I resist considering chickpeas and mushrooms are two of my very favorites and they pair so well together. This dish can be served as is but I decided that I liked the idea of presenting it in a wrap topped with yogurt and a sprinkling of hot sauce. I adapted the recipe slightly, but generally stuck to Ms. Jaffrey's instructions. For an extra special mushroom treat, serve with a generous portion of Mushroom Curry as a side.

My vegetarian readers in the UK might also be interested in a food contest hosted by Linda McCartney foods. The challenge is to come up with a meat free dish that is a complete meal in itself. The contest runs until the 28th of January. For more details, click here.

I am also submitting this recipe to Priya, who is hosting My Legume Love Affair this month, a most popular event started by darling Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Chickpeas with Mushrooms

1 cup of dried chickpeas, rinsed and soaked in enough water overnight to cover
1/4 cup of ghee, or olive oil
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 medium clove of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
10 - 12 mushrooms (cremini or white button mushrooms), sliced into wide strips
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1 small tomato, diced
2 -3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
sea salt to taste

8 - 10 tortillas
fresh parsley
chopped tomatoes

Begin by cooking the chickpeas. Drain, transfer to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and cook until the chickpeas are buttery soft - roughly 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Stir and fry for a minute. Now add the onions and stir and fry until the onions begin to brown - roughly 5 minutes. Toss in the ginger and garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Stir and then add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to lose their liquid. Add the tomato, chopped chilies and a 1/2 cup of reserved chickpea cooking liquid (or water). Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot, along with the salt and 1 cup of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid (or water). Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve as a wrap, place a few tablespoons of the chickpea mushroom mixture in the middle of a tortilla bread. Add some finely chopped tomato, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and finely sliced onion if desired. Wrap, transfer to a plate and top with fresh yogurt or sour cream drizzled with hot sauce or with your favorite chutney or salsa.

Serves 6.

Other spicy chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Shredded Paneer with Tomatoes, Chilies, Mushrooms and Chickpeas
Chickpea Vindaloo
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy
Spicy Chickpeas with Ground Pomegranate Seeds

On the top of the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules

Mixed Dal Spicy Soup

There is very little that is more comforting for the chilly weather than a combination of mixed dals combined into a thick nourishing soup with warming spices. Quick and easy to make, with the delight of sweet tamarind in the mix, those who enjoy Indian creations will not be disappointed.

Earlier in the week, London was bombarded with record amounts of snow. Roughly 4 feet of snow in a matter of days. The city is still digging out and I continue to take refuge in my kitchen.

I'm sending this recipe to Priya who is hosting My Legume Love Affair this month, a most popular event started by my dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Mixed Dal Spicy Soup

2 inch piece of Tamarind, soaked in 2 cups of hot water, and pressed through a strainer - reserve the tamarind water and discard the pulp
1/2 cup of toor dal, rinsed
1/2 cup of split mung beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon of peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 fresh chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of sea salt
4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of oil or butter or ghee
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
a generous handful of dried curry leaves or 15 fresh curry leaves
2 tablespoons of chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
1/4 of fresh parsley for garnish

In a large pot, combine the reserved tamarind water, another 4 cups of water, toor dal, mung beans, ginger, chillies, tomato, turmeric and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the legumes are tender - roughly 45 minutes.

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to splutter and pop. Next add the curry leaves, chickpea flour, asafoetida and stir and fry for another few minutes. Mix into the dal soup and simmer for another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Do add some fresh spinach along with the dal if desired.

Serves 4 - 6

More delicious lentil recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Toor Dal Pumpkin Soup
Toor Dal Palak (Toor Dal & Spinach)
Mung Bean Paneer
Mung Tamarind Dal

On the top of the reading stack: Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey by Najmieh Batmanglij

Audio Accompaniment: Tajmahal

Spicy Mung Beans with Tomato and Onions

Though my favorite bean is probably chickpeas, mung beans are a close second. The addition of fresh tomato and un-fried onion and green chilies add a nice crunch to this spicy dish. I have adapted the recipe from 1000 Indian Recipes. This extensive collection of delights was a gift from my dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook. As I noted before, this cookbook is not strictly vegetarian, but there are lots of vegan and vegetarian ideas for spice blends, condiments, starters and snacks, soups, salads, vegetables dishes, paneer, legumes, curries, breads, desserts and beverages. I particularly enjoy the wide range of recipes from various regions of India.

Spicy Mung Beans with Tomatoes and Onions

1 cup of mung beans, washed and soaked for a few hours
2 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of dried red chilies
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of mango powder (amchoor)
a generous handful of fresh parsley
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 - 2 fresh green chilies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of olive or sesame oil
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne

Drain the mung beans and rinse. Transfer to a medium size saucepan, along with the water, turmeric, salt and dried red chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed - roughly 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Stir in the mango powder and parsley and transfer to a serving dish. Gently mix in the tomato, onion and green chillies.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and stir and fry until they darken a few shades. Add the coriander and cayenne, stir a few times and pour over the mung beans.

Serves 4 - 6.

Other Mung Bean dishes that you will be sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mung Bean Paneer
Spicy Mung Bean Soup with Coconut Milk
Indian Sour Mung Bean Soup
Savory Mung Bean Pancakes

On the top of the reading stack: Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey by Najmieh Batmanglij

Audio Accompaniment: Kwark

Spicy Chickpeas with Ground Pomegranate Seeds

My regular readers will have noticed how much I enjoy cooking with chickpeas. I do believe these buttery soft beans are my favorite legume and honestly, I am rather lucky if I have enough left over after they are cooked and waiting to be included into the dish I am preparing. I just so love to nibble on these delightful garbanzos fresh out of the pot.

This is a recipe that I have adapted from a book containing a treasure trove of Indian recipes entitled 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra that I mentioned in a previous post. I could not resist the idea of ground pomegranate seeds served along with chickpeas and such a tempting array of spices. If you are looking for a layer of taste sensation in one dish, you won't want to miss this one. Ms. Batra tells us this dish (Pindi Channae - Anardana) is essentially an answer to India's version of fast food. If only we could be so lucky here in North America! Would you prefer a Big Mac or Whopper, with some greasy fries, or this aromatic healthy meal that could be served over rice or with your favorite Indian flatbread?

So much to explore, so little time. I did change the recipe somewhat to suit my preferences, but I am indebted to Ms. Batra for the inspiration. If you have the time or inspiration, I encourage you to make your own freshly ground spice powders. They will keep in a sealed jar, in your cupboard, away from bright light, for a good few months. Dried pomegranate seed powder is readily obtained at an Indian grocery store.

This is my submission to My Legume Love Affair, proudly hosted by yours truly this month. A special thanks to Susan for giving me this opportunity to display some wonderful legume recipes. The roundup will be posted at the beginning of December. Entries will be accepted until the end of November.

Spicy Chickpeas with Ground Pomegranate Seeds

1 1/4 cup of dried chickpeas, soaked in enough water overnight to cover
2 tablespoons of butter, ghee, or oil
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 - 3 fresh green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1 teaspoon of chat masala
1 tablespoon of ground dried pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of mango power (amchoor powder)
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne powder
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of black salt or sea salt
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of butter, ghee or oil
3 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 cup of fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Begin by cooking the chickpeas. Drain, transfer to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until they are buttery soft - roughly 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Mash the ginger, garlic and chilies together in a mortar and pestle. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee, butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the mixture and stir and fry for 5 minutes. Add the spices and salt and stir and fry for another 2 minutes. Now add the water, along with the chickpeas and simmer for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat another teaspoon of butter, ghee, or oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, stir and fry for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes, green onions, parsley and cook until the tomatoes soften up - roughly 10 minutes. Transfer to the pot with the chickpeas, simmer for another 10 minutes to blend the flavors and serve hot, over a bed of white or brown rice.

Serves 4 - 6.

Other Spicy Chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Chat Masala
Chana Masala
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy
Shredded Paneer with Tomatoes, Chilies, Mushrooms and Chickpeas

On the top of the reading stack: Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood by Patricia Green

Audio Accompaniment: CED CATHARSIS - Orange or Not

Mustard Roasted Adzuki Beans with Urad Dal

I am joyfully overwhelmed by one of the latest additions to my extensive cookbook collection. My dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook generously sent me a copy of 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra. I am still in the process of exploring this inspiring collection, as can be imagined, considering there are so many recipes to choose from.

Though not strictly vegetarian, the bulk of the traditional selections are more than suitable for vegetarians and also vegans. Ms. Batra, who has been cooking Indian cuisine for over 30 years, covers recipes from various regions of India, but as she notes, "Even 1000 recipes doesn't cover all the wealth I discovered in my travels and in preparing recipes in my kitchen, but you have in this book a wonderful collection of recipes that will make Indian home cooking a pleasure".

Indeed, as my cupboards are packed full of delightful spice blends and legumes that are popular in various regions and also throughout the world. I need not even go into the various cookbooks that my shelves groan over because of the weight of wealth they contain. I find it unfortunate that most of the restaurants in North America that serve Indian food are so focused on the Northern region, as much as I enjoy most of the dishes inspired from that part of the country. There is just so much to explore, so get cooking in your own kitchens and you will open up a new world of flavors and healthy meals.

I will have much more to say about this book, but I can say the cook will find recipes for spice blends, chutneys and pickles, savory snacks and starters, soups, salads, vegetables, paneer, legumes, vegetarian curries, rice, breads, desserts, beverages and for those who like Indian meat and fish dishes, you will be sure to find something to suit your preferences. The outline of kitchen basics and the glossary is most helpful, especially for those new to Indian cooking, not to mention the charming and helpful introductions to each recipe. Yet another gem that I can't praise enough.

Mustard Roasted Adzuki Beans with Urad Dal
Adapted from 1000 Indian Recipes

1 tablespoon of butter, ghee, or oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 cup of dried adzuki beans, rinsed and soaked overnight in enough water to cover
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 - 4 red or green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
a generous handful of dried curry leaves, or 15 fresh curry leaves
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, peeled, and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of sea salt
3 - 4 cups of water
1/2 - 2/3 cup of urad dal, rinsed
1/2 cup of plain yogurt or kefir
1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley

Drain the soaked adzuki beans and set aside.

In a large pot or wok, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds, and stir and fry until they turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Add the adzuki beans, Dijon mustard, chilies, tomato, curry leaves, asafoetida, ginger, garlic, ground coriander, cayenne, cumin and sea salt and stir and fry for 5- 10 minutes. Add the water, bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer and cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. Now add the urad dal and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed. Transfer to a serving dish, swirl in the yogurt or kefir and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4 - 6

Other Azuki Bean recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you will be sure to enjoy:
Mung and Azuki Beans with Fresh Peas and Spices
Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto
Hungdo Chow Ching Jiao
Adzuki Croquettes with a Spicy Sesame Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: Sysyphe - Under the Wood

Black and Yellow Chickpeas with a Coconut Chili Sauce

My trusted volume of 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer has many post-it notes sticking out from the pages. Excuse me for once again raving about this fabulous book that includes lots of inspired ideas for spice blends, appetizers, paneer dishes, legumes, vegetables, grains and fusion style Indian curries. The introductions to his recipes are informative and highly entertaining. This cookbook is highly recommended from Lisa's Kitchen and it makes a great gift too for cooks that enjoy creative and heart-warming, but often easy to prepare, Indian dishes. Coconut and chilies go so well with the chickpeas and spices in this dish. While the black chickpeas add a nice texture, wholesome regular yellow chickpeas could be substituted instead.

Black and Yellow Chickpeas with a Coconut Chili Sauce

2/3 cup of dried black chickpeas
1/3 cup of dried yellow chickpeas
6 green cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (roughly 2 - 3 inches long)
4 tablespoons of ghee or a mixture of butter and oil
2/3 cup of dried coconut
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
4 - 6 green chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
a generous handful of dried curry leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

Rinse and soak the chickpeas in enough water to cover overnight. Drain, transfer to a large pot and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the cardamon pods, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cover and reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the chickpeas are tender - roughly 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the chickpeas are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a frying pan. When hot, add the coriander seeds, coconut and chilies to the pan. Stir and fry until the coconut begins to brown. Transfer to a blender, along with 2/3 cup of water and blend into a paste. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry until they turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Add the curry leaves to the pan, stir and remove from the heat.

When the chickpeas are finished cooking, add the coconut paste, mustard and curry leaves and sea salt to the pot. Simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cardamon pods before serving.

Serves 4.

More chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Gravy
Chickpeas with Coconut Sauce
Spicy Chickpeas with a Tangy Tomato Glaze

On the top of the reading stack: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Audio Accompaniment: Under the Wood by SYSYPHE (this track pleasantly drowns out the doozers who are yet still making a terrible racket on our street.)

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Chat Masala

Hot, sour and salty, chat masala is a popular northern Indian spice blend that forms a delightful combination with cool or tangy foods like fresh cucumbers or tomatoes. Naturally, it is perfect addition to legume based salads like this Indian-style chickpea salad loaded with both tomatoes and cucumbers, with a little corn and fresh hot chilies for good measure. A colourful, healthy and delicious light lunch or dinner on a hot day or cold day.

Good chat masala blends are easily available from any Indian grocer, but if you want to make your own, I have a quick and easy recipe here.

This is my submission to My Legume Love Affair, a most popular monthly event started by dear Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and hosted this month by Divya.

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Chat Masala

1 cup dried chickpeas
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen corn
3 green chilies, seeded and minced
small handful fresh coriander leaves
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons chat masala
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the chickpeas under cold running water and soak overnight in a bowl covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added.

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and add to a medium saucepan. Cover with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft and buttery. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Place the chickpeas in a large mixing bowl and add the tomatoes, cucumber, corn, chilies and coriander. Pour in the lemon juice and sprinkle in the chat masala, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Toss gently to mix.

Serve warm or cold. Serves 4 to 6.

Other Indian salads you may enjoy:
Three Bean Salad with Fennel
Indian-Style Tomato Salad
Indian-Style Beet Salad with a Yogurt Dressing

On the top of the reading stack: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland

Audio Accompaniment: Tierbeobachtungen by Jan Jelinek