Last week while I was wondering down the International Foods and Spices isle of the grocery store, I noticed a new spice called Fenugreek. I was a little intimidated on how I could use this spice, so I did some research and found out how it is used in Indian cooking. I just got a new mortar and pestle set so I have been experimenting with creating my own curry spices. Crushing your own spices definitely brings out the most complex flavors from the herbs and spices.
I've always wanted be able to cook amazing Indian food. I decided to borrow a book from the library called, "Everyday Indian," by Bal Arneson. This book has simple and healthy recipes that are easy to follow. According to Bal, Fenugreek is called methi in Punjabi. Seeds as well as dried leaves are used for cooking and can add a slightly bitter, savory taste to meat dishes. Fenugreek also thickens watery sauces. It can be added to beans and lentil dishes as well. With this new spice information, I decided to cook my first chickpea dish with Fenugreek in it! Hopefully you will experiment with Indian cooking and make your own curry too!
This Indian dish makes such a good use of the harmonizing flavors of fresh herbs and ground spices.
Ingredients
2 15.5 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut
3-4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon of minied garlic
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 teaspoon of Fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of parsley or cilantro leaves (optional)
Salt to taste
Water
Instructions
Saute onions in grapeseed oil until onions are soft and continue sauteing until onions are slightly golden. Add tomatoes and let them cook
for few more minutes until tomatoes are soft. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, cayenne pepper and salt to your mortar and pestle grind away till you have all ingredients somewhat blended. Add the spice mixture to the onion and tomato mixture, stir
quickly and cook for 3-5 minutes. Then add drained chickpeas and potatoes. Cover the mixture just barely with
water then cover with a lid and let it cook on low/medium heat, add water if
necessary and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or cilantro or chopped green chili if desired. Serve with plain brown basmati or brown rice.
Makes 6 Servings
Comments
Post a Comment