Chickpea Curry

Wow! I am completely surprised and humbled at the attention my first blog post received. The positive feedback has been amazing I absolutely loved reading through every message and email. I hope to acknowledge all suggestions and answer every question within my next few posts. And as thrilling as this immediate interest in my blog is, what I am even more excited about is all the people out there who truly want to get cooking! This page is already becoming what I wanted; all about YOU! 

Aside from general know-how, the most prevalent concern from my readers was that of time. And let me assure you, from managing the grocery, to cooking, to cleanup,  there are numerous ways to cut back on the minutes (and sometimes hours!) spent chained to the shopping cart, stove and sink. But the vast majority of questions this week can be summarized with “How can I cook a healthy dinner for my family while still having time to spend with them?”  As I have already mentioned, there are several ways to save your all too precious time; all of which I hope to share very soon!  However, I know you are looking for an easy way to start shaving minutes off your meal-prep tonight, so my suggestion? Make a one-pot meal!  Contrary to popular belief, it is completely possible to compose a well-rounded, complex dinner without using (and inevitably cleaning) every piece of kitchenware you own.

In a Hurry? Try My Curry!

Because I have quite the arsenal of go-to single-vessel suppers, I had a lot of fun deciding what recipe to share this week.  Between stews, soups, and stir-fry’s, I make a one pot meal at least three times a week. But last week in particular, I had spent the day with my husband and son at the zoo, and by the time we got home I was just exhausted. My feet were throbbing from walking around for hours in my cheap tennis shoes; my back ached from hauling the sweetest 20 pounds of baby ever in an infant carrier on my chest; and despite applying what seemed like half a bottle of sunscreen, the lingering heat from the Texas rays remained on my shoulders. Just as I had collapsed on the couch, it hit me, Oh yeah. Dinner.”  

Situations likes these are when it’s easy to rationalize going through the drive through, or even simpler still, ordering delivery.  I had spent a long, hot day outside; my husband and I were both very hungry and we were in no mood to have to wait to eat. And I certainly didn’t feel like cooking. But in the same amount of time (or even less!) it would have taken for one of us to have to drive to a fast food restaurant, order something not even good for us, and drive back home, I knew I could throw together a healthy, filling and delicious meal that would be much more rewarding than anything we could get in such short notice. 

One of the many things I love about food and cooking is the fact you can make it as simple or as intricate as you desire. And while speed and convenience are generally my main motivators in the kitchen these days, sometimes while lowering my knife, freshly sharpened, down to my cutting board, I can feel  the all too familiar satisfaction from my prep-cook past of manipulating countless veggies into perfectly symmetrical dices, slices,  juliennes and more.  I also get over that craving just about the time I hear *CRASH* “Maaamaaa! And see the dog’s water bowl upside down…” So yeah, back to speed and convenience… 

So when I opened my pantry and the canned chickpeas we bought on sale earlier that week immediately caught my eye and I knew, “Duh. Curry.”  Curried stews have always been an easy go to for me. Essentially any variety of vegetables, grains, beans, meats and even many fruits can be cooked together in the warm spices of South Asia.

Usually, curries are slowly stewed but as we now know, a successful meal is not always equated to how long you spend on it. By using canned and frozen components (FYI frozen vegetables can be just as healthy, if not more so than fresh), you save plenty of time actually preparing the dish while still allowing the flavors to develop together. 

**Before we get started a quick note about spices**

The quality of the spices you use can affect the quality of your dish. While both whole and ground herbs and spices can last a few years in your cabinet (depending on the type), I recommend replacing ground every 6 months and whole every year. This will ensure they are fresh and prevent you from having to use half a bottle just to get decent taste. But I get it, life happens and spices can add up on your grocery bill. That’s why there should be a handy little “best by” date right on the bottle you can go by. Just don’t hesitate if you think you need to add a little more to pump up your flavor. Actually, NEVER hesitate if you think your food needs more of something because after all, this is YOUR dinner!!!

Because today is all about speed, I used a jar of pre-made curry powder.  If you are interested in my homemade curry powder recipe, I am listing it at the end of the post so feel free to check it out.          

Chickpea Curry

Serves 6-8

Tools needed:

·         Cutting board

·         Large, sharp knife

·         A large pot

·         A large spoon or spatula

·         A tablespoon measurer

·         A can opener

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoons oil or butter

·         One large onion

·         3 cloves garlic

·         2-4 tablespoons curry powder (amount used depends on your preference)

·         1 tablespoon plain chili powder

·         8 ounces tomato sauce

·         Two 15 ounce cans of chickpeas

·         32 ounces vegetable broth

·         2 cups frozen peas

·         1 bunch kale

·         salt

Instructions
     

*Wash ALL produce before cutting into it. Even if you are removing peel! Also, always wash the tops of your cans off too before opening*

1.       Dice your onion.
  ***If you don’t feel comfortable dicing the onion in this manner you can always use pre-diced frozen onion. No knives needed and it will also save you time!

-Start by slicing the onion in half starting at the root to create two equal portions.  

-  Remove the paper skin and lay the onion half flat towards the edge of your board for better leverage.
-Now, CAREFULLY make horizontal slices without going all the way through the onion. (Don’t go too far back to the root until you are comfortable with this technique because your knife can quickly slip. No shame in being conservative here!)

-Next, while using one hand to hold the horizontal slices in place, make vertical cuts. This will create your dices. Again, everything is still intact on the root end

  * make your horizontal and vertical slices closer together for a smaller dice and further apart for a larger dice. For this recipe I made mine about ¼ in thick but it doesn’t matter. In fact, if you have never done this before, I recommend going on the larger side anyway.

- While holding the onion together with one hand, carefully make horizontal cuts again to release the dices. Look at that nice pile of lovely, diced onion!

*I know this seems like a lot of steps but I promise, once you get used to this technique you will be able to dice an onion in less than 15 seconds.

2.       Mince your garlic (mince is a fancy word for tiny dice)

** While I feel nothing can replace the taste of fresh garlic, feel free to save time by using a couple of tablespoons of the diced garlic that comes in oil. Just be sure to refrigerate it after opening!

-place the garlic clove on the cutting board and lay the thickest part of your knife (toward to handle) flat on top on the clove.

- Pressing the palm of your hand on the blade, carefully smash the garlic. This will not only separate the paper, but it will flatten the clove for easier mincing.

-Then, run your knife horizontally and vertically making your slices very close together. (Just like our jalapeno from last week’s post) and now just chop up any rouge, larger chunks and your garlic is minced!

3.  Strip your kale leaves from the stems (you can dice your stems and throw them in the pot with the garlic, it adds flavor and all kinds of healthy goodness to you meal. Or, you can use them the next morning in a green smoothie like I happened to). Lay the leaves on top of each other and roughly chop. I like to start with larger-ish pieces since they wilt down.

Ok enough of the time consuming stuff… nothing but smooth sailing from here on out!

4. Heat the oil in the pan on a medium high heat for a few minutes. The oil should be shiny but not starting to bubble or fizz

5.  Add your onion to the oil. Using your spoon, coat the dices in the oil and add a little salt.

Cook them until they are starting to become soft and a little translucent. Or, you can cook them longer until they start to turn a light brown (this is called caramalization), but know this can take a while. So, if you are watching the clock, I would go ahead and just cook until soft.

6. Turning your heat down a little, add your garlic to the onions and stir around. You will know the garlic is cooked through when that incredible garlic aroma fills your nose and it looks visibly softer.

 7. Add in your curry spices and chili powder and stir, coating all the onions and garlic. Let this cook together for about a minute, stirring the entire time. This toasts up the spices a little but keep the mixture moving because it can burn.

8. Now, add your tomato sauce. Stir well and admire the fabulous little curry base you just made in mere minutes!

9. Stir in your chickpeas, juice and all. You can always drain and rinse, especially if you want to watch your salt intake, but since we are speed-cooking, the thick, flavorful juice will really help thicken the sauce. If you do drain and rinse, just add a little more broth.

10. Pour in your vegetable broth and give the whole pot a nice, big stir. Turn your heat up to medium high again; bring to a boil and let cook for about ten minutes

                               

*** We interrupt this recipe to bring you another time-saving tip***

Dishes. Blah. AmIRight? To avoid a lengthy cleanup at the end of dinner, use this moment while your food is solo-cooking to wash up! I always start cooking with an empty (or mostly empty) dishwasher and a sink full of hot soapy water. This way, I can load and scrub as I go. Even if this just means using a spare minute to wash one pan or utensil, that time really adds up and you end up washing quite a few dishes in the process. And with a low-maintenance meal like this one, you can clean your cutting board, knife and tablespoon now (and can opener if you used it already) and all you are left with is a pot and spoon! Ok PSA officially over…. Back to your dinner….

11.  Once your broth has bubbled and reduced a little, now is the time to add your peas

*frozen veg basically only needs to heat up, so to maintain its structural integrity, wait until you are almost done cooking to add to you dish*

                                           

12. Now just leave your pot boiling and allow it to reduce until the juices thicken and become sauce-like, stir in your kale And… You. Are. Done!

*always wait until the very end to add any leafy greens because they will wilt away to nothing if they overcook.

**Because of the chickpeas, I find this meal filling all on its own. However, you can whip up some rice or lentils using a 2:1 cooking ratio. This means 2 parts water to 1 part rice or lentils (For example 2 cups of water to 1 cup of grains) and simmer until tender, usually about 20 minutes for me. Depending on your heat you may need to add more water during cooking or you may even need to drain off some in the end until you get used to it.

  Now let’s make this recipe all yours! Here are a few of my suggestions but as always, go crazy and customize this dish to fit your needs and taste buds.

·         You can use any frozen vegetable you desire in this dish; I just so happened to have peas at the time. I also LOVE cauliflower, bell peppers, and mushrooms in my curry. And sweet potato and squash and all kinds of greens and coconut and pineapple and jackfruit and…. Ok you get it, use anything you want!

·         And while this curry happens to be vegan, some shredded chicken and a touch of cream would work beautifully.

·         Also, if you want to take the time, fresh veggies work just as well, just slow your boil down to a steady simmer and cook right in the pot until they are soft.

·         For a scrumptious curried soup, just don’t reduce the broth down very far.

·         The broth can be exchanged for beef or chicken, just like the fat used can be practically any cooking oil or even butter.

Just as a promised, my curry spice recipe is listed below.  But if you want to switch up your `flavor with minimal effort, there are jars of red and green curry paste at most major grocers.

Curry Blend

Tools needed:

·         8 oz jar

·         Non stick pan

·         Coffee grinder, mortar and pestle or any small, electric blending device (I use a NutriBullet)

          

Ingredients:

·         4 tablespoons coriander seeds

·         1 Tablespoon cumin seeds

·         1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (you will have to bust these little seeds out of their pod. You can do this by smashing them garlic-cloves style like mentioned above if they don’t pop out easily,  or just use ground cardamom)         

·         2 tablespoons turmeric powder

·         2 tablespoons mustard powder

·         2 tablespoons PLAIN chili powder (beware chili powder blended with herbs  and other spices)

·         1 tablespoon cayenne powder

·         1 tablespoon cinnamon

                                                                               

                         Instructions:

1.       Put the coriander, cumin and cardamom seeds in a cold pan and with the heat on medium, lightly toast until they become very fragrant, usually 5-10 minutes (keep them swirling and moving the entire time because they WILL burn!)

2.       Mix the toasted seeds with the remaining ingredients

3.       You can either put the mixture right in the jar and grind as you use it (this maintains freshness a little better) or blend the entire mixture at once.

Welcome to My Delicious Diaita! / Mango Jalapeno Coleslaw

Hello and welcome to my blog. I already know what you are thinking. Thank goodness! This is exactly what the internet needs! Another food blog! But my goal is to be different. I want this to be a place where instead of just being given a recipe to follow, you are provided with the proper technique and skills that are crucial to becoming the best cook you can be.

While I would love to be able to sit down to a sophisticated, professional-quality meal with my husband every evening, that just isn't happening. Some days the best I can manage is a ten minute meal of frozen veggies tossed with whole grains and vinaigrette. And you know what, that's okay! Because, culinary diploma aside, I still have to carve out time in my day, money in my bank account, and space on my counter in order to make supper happen. I just so happen to have a few tricks up my sleeve to make the process less daunting and I can't wait to share them with you!

 Over the years I have come to learn that the biggest obstacle preventing so many people from cooking more often is simply unobtainable expectations. So, my first advice to you... relax and just... cook.  It's okay if your food isn't Instagram worthy, was made in one pot or eaten on paper plates. After all, you aren’t trying to get your dinner into Food and Wine Magazine; you are trying to get it from the stove to the table without losing your mind!

And since this little virtual gastronomical project of mine is still in its infancy, I want to customize it to be whatever YOU need it to be! My intentions are not to have a website all about me, but to create a space where even the most inexperienced cook can visit and afterward confidently navigate the grocery store and consistently produce a quality meal they can be proud of. Because, believe it or not, no matter your income, no matter your family size, and no matter how jam-packed your schedule is, it is completely possible for you to cook dinner tonight!

So join me, and together we will conquer the grocery store, tackle cooking techniques, and dissect thought processes necessary for you to become champion of your kitchen!

 *Have advice for me, suggestions for the page or questions you would like answered? Please leave a comment or email me at MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com  because like I said, this is all about YOU!*

And now, as a HUGE thank you for taking the time to not only visit, but also read through my first post, I give you the very first Delicious Diaita recipe!  I wanted to post something that is not only perfect for this time of year, but introduces you to multiple fruits and vegetables and a few of the many methods of preparing them. In addition to slicing and dicing, pay attention to the textures and combination of the savory, sweet and acidic components. Because, learning how to balance flavors is fundamental in great cooking and very easy once you get the hang of it. So * PLEASE* be patient and do not be hard on yourself. Because all of this takes time but luckily, probably not as much time as you may think.

 ***

Even though summer might be half over, cookout season is far from concluding! Not to mention, tailgating is right around the corner for you football fans... So, if you want to bring a dish to your next outdoor soiree that is a refreshingly bright and most importantly DELICIOUS alternative to the usual store-bought tubs of forgotten sides, mango jalapeno coleslaw is the way to go. Cheap and easy to prepare for the masses, this crowd pleaser will have you spending less time in the kitchen and more time sipping margaritas with friends and family, all while getting to say "yeah, I made that!" Inspired by a dish from a favorite food truck, this coleslaw goes with everything from burgers and dogs, to BBQ, fried fish, crawdads and steaks. Yeah. Like I said. Everything. So, without further delay....

Mango Jalapeno Coleslaw

Serves: a bunch. Like, easily 20 servings here. This is a cookout after all!    So, if making for your family or a small group, just cut all the ingredients by half                                     .                                                         

                                          

Tools needed:

                         A large, sharp knife

                                A zester *I use a microplane but the smallest side of a box grater will work too*

                                A grater

                                A whisk/spoon/ fork. (something to stir)

                                One large bowl

                                One smaller bowl

                                Cutting board

Ingredients:

                            Half of a purple and green cabbage

                                Two large carrots

                                4 green onions

                                2 mangos

                                2 jalapenos

                                3/4 cup mayonnaise

                                1/4 cup sour cream

                                 Zest and juice of 2 limes

                                2 tablespoons vinegar (I happened to have a pear vinegar but a  champagne or white vinegar would work just as well.

                                2 tablespoons white sugar

                                Salt and pepper

Instructions: *always wash ALL produce before cutting into it*

1. Start by slicing each cabbage in half if you haven't already. (save the remaining halves for soup, salads, sandwiches or sauerkraut this week!) Now, slice each half in half again creating quarters

2. Carefully core each quarter of cabbage by placing your knife at an angle and removing the large white core by slowly moving your knife in a sawing motion

3. laying each quarter cut side down on the board and starting at one end of the wedge, start shredding the cabbage by slicing very thin strips and put in your large bowl

4. shred the carrots and add to the bowl

5. thinly slice the green onions and add to the bowl and toss all the veg together

6. Dice the mangos by slicing the flesh off each side of the large pit. Then, carefully make both horizontal and vertical slices into the fruit without going all the way through the skin. This will create dices. Finally, separate the dices from the skin by running your knife between the fruit and the skin. (if your dices aren't pretty or need to be smaller, just go ahead and give them a slight "rough chop" after they are mixed in with the 'slaw i promise it won't make much of a difference.

7. Mince the jalapenos by first slicing them in half and removing the seeds and white membrane with your fingers.  Then with the skin side down, run your knife along the length of the jalapenos creating thin slices. Finally, turn the slices horizontal to your cutting board and starting at one end, begin chopping to create very small pieces. *I suggest wearing disposable gloves or washing your hands ASAP after cutting into the jalapenos.*

8. zest the limes and juice them by slicing in half and either squeezing into a bowl with your hand or using a hand held juicer. *I almost always zest my citrus before juicing. The zest has flavorful oils that really enhance the citrus flavor and help you get the most out of your fruit purchase!

9.  In your smaller bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced jalapenos, lime zest and juice, vinegar, sugar and about 1-2 tablespoons of salt and a 1 tablespoon of pepper (less if you prefer your coleslaw more sweet) mix together very well *you want this mixture to be slightly fluid so if it's too thick, just add a touch of water or more lime juice to loosen*

10. Pour the mayo mixture over the vegetables in the large bowl and  toss well

 

Congratulations! You just made a tasty summertime-side that is bound to amaze and impress!

The 'slaw will keep in the fridge and tastes great cold or, if you are able to keep it out less than 4 hours, leave it out and serve at room temperature.

*note*As I have already mentioned, I really want to stress that the technique, skills and thought processes involved in cooking are so much more important than following an actual recipe. For example, you can use regular mayonnaise and sour cream like I happened to for this recipe, or you can switch it up with vegan mayo, Greek yogurt or any combination of these and still get a great end result.

Now, let’s get creative! As mentioned above, learning following a recipe is not what I want you to take from this.  Once you feel comfortable, don’t be afraid to change it up! Using the same techniques and proportions, try switching out some ingredients to make this recipe all yours. For example, try exchanging the mango and jalapeño for apples and walnuts and maybe add a dash of nutmeg to create waldorf coleslaw.

With the proper skills and right mind frame you can be more amazing in your kitchen than you ever realized! Now go make something delicious!

* feel free to send me pictures to MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com of not only my recipes but your own kitchen creations!*