Monday, February 3, 2014

Curried Chickpeas Over Rice

How many times have you said these very words "I have nothing to eat!"?  Yeah, me too.  That was until the first week in January when I pulled everything out of the pantry and realized that I had all of this...


Canned and jarred goods.

pastas, rices, couscous, etc.



Yeah, I was pretty amazed and ashamed at what I found.  But, it got me thinking..."Is it possible to make a weeks worth of meals from my pantry?'  I have decided to accept this challenge and tonight I am sharing its first fruits!

CURRIED CHICKPEAS OVER RICE

*Prep Time:  5 minutes   *Cook Time:  10 minutes   *Diffuculty:  Easy    *Servings: 4

Here is what you will need:




  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, finely diced
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tsp. Fresh Ginger, minced
  • 1/8 Tsp. Ground Clove
  • 1/8 Tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1/8 Tsp. Cayenne
  • 1 Tsp. Cumin
  • 1 Tsp. Ground Coriander
  • 1 Tsp. Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp. Salt
  • 2 15 oz. Cans of Chickpeas with liquid
  • 2 c. Uncooked Rice
  • 4 c. Water
Tools you will need:
  • 2 sauce pans
  • measuring cup
  • knife
  • wooden spoon
One thing I want to be sure about with this challenge is that these meals are filling and flavorful.  Just because you are pantry cooking doesn't mean you have to settle for mediocre food!  So, without further adieu, here we go!
Before you do anything, you are going to get 4 cups of water on the stove to boil.  When the water comes to a boil, add your rice, lower to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes.

While your rice is cooking, you will need to finely dice your onion, mince your garlic, and grate your ginger.  Add them to preheated oil in the pan, and sauté till the onion is translucent. 



Now add your spices.  By adding your spices at this stage, you are rehydrating the oils in them to ensure maximum flavor!  If you are afraid this may be a little too spicy for you or your children just omit the cayenne.  :)


Let it cook down for about a minute.  It should look like this.


Now you are going to add your chickpeas with the liquid.  The starches in the juices will thicken to create a yummy sauce. 


Let this simmer for about 10 minutes...




And serve over your rice! 


This dish is flavorful, filling, healthy, and inexpensive.  It has a warm, spicy flavor that pairs well with these cold winter evenings.  Pantry gourmet to the max!!!  The best part, you can have this on the table in 10-15 minutes!  Perfect for a busy weeknight.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!  I would love to see your pictures as well!

Happy Reading, Happy Eating, and Happy Living,

~The Kitchen Wife~









0 comments:

Post a Comment