Recipe of the Week: Chick Peas in Ginger Sauce

According to the Treehugger New Year’s Resolution questionnaire, 30% of you are planning to become vegetarian in 2006. We have noticed how much easier it is to be vegetarian or vegan these days Restaurants now routinely have vegetarian menu options, more vegetarian cookbooks are being published, protein rich ingredients are readily available in markets. Most importantly attitudes are changing. When our spouse was a teenager, he announced to his family that he was becoming vegetarian. His mother served him frozen fish fingers for every meal while everyone else had his (previously) favourite meat dishes. He capitulated. She still tells that story with a ring of pride in her voice. There is nary a fish finger in sight in this week’s offering.

Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce

2 - 20 ounce cans chickpeas with their liquid or 4 cups cooked chickpeas with 1 cup liquid
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely shredded fresh ginger root
2 tsp ground coriander
1/3 tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp mango powder or 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp each red and black pepper
1 medium sized tomato, finely chopped or ½ cup canned, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1. Drain chickpeas, reserving the liquid.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add onions, and fry for about 5 minutes or until they turn light brown, stirring to prevent burning.
3. Add garlic and ginger, reduce heat to medium, and fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add coriander, cardamom, mango powder and red and black pepper. Mix well, and fry for a moment or two. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil begins to separate from the tomato spice mixture.
4. Add the reserved chick pea liquid, the lemon juice if using, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer over low heat 10 minutes or until it is reduced to a pulpy gravy. Add the drained chickpeas and continue cooking, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Note: this dish may be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Serve this dish with Indian bread or pappadums and a green salad for a light meal.

From Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni- ::Amazon