4.23.2010

Happy Strolling and Guyanese Wedding Feast Curry

Good morning, dear folks! :-) I am grinning so big because my gimpy knee is finally healing up after the car accident and I'm able to start taking real walks again. HOORAY! :-) Earlier this week I headed out on a particularly blustery day and to my delight found a whole sprig of lilac laying in the street in danger of being run over. I happily rescued it and it's now adorning my coffee table in a particularly fetching styrofoam cup. ;-)


After work yesterday I went out to explore my new neighborhood, strolling past farms and meadows and through the woods.




It did my heart and body much good to be out in nature again. :-)

On Wednesday my dear friend Deb came over for dinner, and while the rice finished cooking we took an evening ramble out to my creek. Mmm, it was gorgeous! The creek babbled gently as the sun set through the trees and brisk breezes brought gusts of fresh air from the woods. Everything is so lush and green along the banks now. I just love it. :-)



The fresh air made us hungry and we headed back to the house for dinner. Deb is one of those lovely folks who is actually pleased when you experiment on them with new foods (love that!!) so I tried out a vegetable curry from Madhur Jaffrey's "From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail", and served it over brown basmati rice. 


Jaffrey says that this curry is a great favorite at wedding banquets in Guyana, while in India they serve it without cabbage.

The curry features chickpeas, potatoes and cabbage simmered with fried onions, garlic, peppers, curry powder and roasted cumin. It turned out even better than I'd hoped! Somehow the textures and flavors are perfectly suited to each other, resulting in an almost creamy curry that satisfies without feeling heavy.


What lovely thing are you looking forward to this weekend? :-)

Chickpea, Potato and Cabbage Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 wiri-wiri peppers or 3 bird's eye chilies, chopped (I didn't have either so I added a pinch of cayenne)
4 Tbsp corn, peanut, or olive oil
1 Tbsp hot curry powder (I used mild)
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds (I only had powder)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" squares (I didn't peel mine)
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups green cabbage, cut into 1/2 inch squares

Directions:
  1. Soak chickpeas overnight in 5 cups of water. Drain the next day, put in a pan, add 5 cups fresh water and bring to a boil. Cover. reduce heat to low, and cook very gently for 1-3 hours, or until chickpeas are very tender. Add boiling water if necessary. 
  2. Drain chickpeas, reserving broth. Pour liquid into measuring cup and add water to make 2 1/2 cups. 
  3. Put onion, garlic, peppers and 4 Tbsp water into blender and blend until smooth. 
  4. Pour oil into soup pot over medium high heat. Put in paste from blender. Stir and fry for 2-3 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook another 2-3 minutes, removing lid to stir frequently. 
  5. Add curry powder and roasted cumin. Stir ones and put in chickpeas, potatoes, salt, and the reserved liquid. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  6. Add cabbage and a further 1 cup of water (I used chicken broth). Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until cabbage has just softened. 
  7. Taste for salt before serving.

30 comments:

  1. i like your friend deb already! since hubby is vegetarian, we have been cooking from m. jaffrey's veggie "world of the east" since married day one. she has never let us down!

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  2. Me too, Paradis! She's a total kindred spirit: great cook, intrepid traveler, grand fun all around. :-) I'm learning to really love vegetarian cooking. :-) This is my 2nd or 3rd Jaffrey recipe and I've loved them!!! :-)

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  3. I'm so glad you are able to meander around again! that must make you so happy, especially since you are surrounded by such lovely scenery.

    That curry looks delicious! I love Jaffrey's food!

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  4. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Gorgeous photos of the flowers. Great curry. Cheers!

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  5. I love experimenting on people but they usually get one of my made up recipes which can make it rather nerve racking.

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  6. That curry looks wonderful, I haven't got any of her books. Lovely flowers too.

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  7. Thanks, Joanne! It makes me very happy indeed. :-)

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  8. Thanks, Lazaro! I'm so glad too. :-) Have a great weekend!

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  9. Oh Deanna, that cracks me up. :-) Those ARE the most stressful, aren't they? :-)

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  10. Thank you, Sarah! This is my first book of hers and I just love it! There's a cilantro chicken (coriander, to you ;-)) that is to die for. :-)

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  11. I so love lilacs! I carried them at my wedding. Your photos of the lilacs and the creek are lovely and would make a nature lover of the most confirmed coach potato. As to the weekend: We are heading to a place called Sweet Creek. It is one of Oregon's many hidden treasure and because of the hiking distance involved, it has remained relatively untouched. It's beautiful at this time of year because of all the rushing water.
    I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  12. Oh that makes me happy, Mary. :-) I just looked up Sweet Creek and WOW!! It's so beautiful! What a wonderful weekend excursion. :-)

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  13. Gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. OMG, lilac! That would have made my week, heck, my month, my year!!!! So so beautiful and I have never seen it like this!
    RE: Madhur Jaffrey's book, I read it and salivated over it many many times, promising myself I would try every recipe; glad you did it for me! This curry is just lovely and so yummy looking!

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  15. Isn't it GLORIOUS, Beirut?! It made me so radiantly happy too. :-) I'm so glad you like the curry! I had it cold for lunch today and mmm, just splendid. :-)

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  16. A lovley walking area Krista. I remember the feeling of being able to get out walking again. Enjoy it.

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  17. Thank you, Barbara. :-) Knee is acting up again now, but hopefully I'll be able to go out strolling soon. :-)

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  18. You live in such an amazing place. It looks like it has peace and healing power just in the earth itself. Lovely photos, just lovely. The curry is making my mouth water!

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  19. hmm, I'm not a big fan of curries, but this might just convince me :)

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  20. The rice and curry look stunning, and I love the first photo. Glad to know you're healing. Have a great week. X X X

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  21. I know what you mean, Irene. :-) Just coming home fills me with peace and a sense of well-being. :-)

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  22. I don't like all curries either, Hila, but this one is quite splendid. Almost more like a stew. :-)

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  23. Thank you so much, Ozoz. :-) It's been a beautiful weekend and I feel much better. :-)

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  24. So many beautiful images, I don't know where to start but to say I am so glad to have found your blog (thanks Lazaro!) and everything you shoot looks awesome! I do so love Madhur Jaffrey and your creek reminds me of my old house... I used to love long walks with my St Bernard running in and out of the water. It is a lovely memory you revived!

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  25. Thank you so much, longpastremembered! :-) I'm so glad they brought such good memories for you. :-) I just dashed over to your blog and oooo, you have such interesting content! I can't wait to delve into it further. :-)

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  26. I am not sure if I enjoy being here because of the photos or the food. Today, it is both.

    I just got back from the store with cabbage but I had another dish, in mind. Now, I am not sure what to do.

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  27. I'm just so glad you're here, Chaya. :-) Such a quandary, eh? :-) I'm sure whatever you use it for will be FABULOUS! :-)

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