Potato-Chickpea Biryani

This recipe is amazing. It got rave reviews from everyone who tried it. I found the curry paste at Target, and it is also available on Amazon.com

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 onion, diced

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced

5 oz. (1/2 jar) Patak's Original Biryani Curry Paste

1 1/2 c. uncooked brown basmati rice*

3 1/2 c. vegetable broth

1 c. chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 large or 2 small boiling potatoes, such as yukon gold or red

Boil the potato until it can be pierced with a fork without resistance. It should be tender but not mushy. Be careful not to overcook it. After it has cooled enough to handle, rub off the skin and discard. Dice into bit-sized pieces and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onion, pepper, and carrots on medium-high heat until tender. Reduce heat and add the garlic and minced ginger. Saute until fragrant, then stir in the Curry Paste.

Add the rice and vegetable broth, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender.

Add the chickpeas and potatoes, cover and cook on low for another 5 minutes.

* If using white basmati rice, reduce vegetable broth to 3 c., and reduce cooking time to about 25 minutes.

Serve with flatbread or naan.

Indian Spicy-Sour Chickpeas with Cauliflower

Here is another recipe from "Delicious Living". I wanted to make Indian food, but Spencer really isn't a fan of curry, so this recipe was perfect because it used so many spices, but no curry. We both really liked it.

Indian Spicy-Sour Chickpeas with Cauliflower

Laurie Gauguin, Mar 1, 2009 11:47 AM

Serves 8 / Used extensively in Indian cooking, anti-inflammatory turmeric and ginger enhance cruciferous cauliflower, vitamin-rich tomatoes, and high-fiber chickpeas, packing this dish with cancer-fighting potential. Prep tip: Use more or less jalapeno depending on your heat preference.

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups diced onion (1 medium-large onion)
1-2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 15-ounce cans low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained
1 pound cauliflower florets (1 medium head, cored and trimmed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Combine ginger and lemon juice in a small cup. Set aside.

2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add jalapeno and continue cooking until onion is brown all over, another 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, and salt. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if mixture becomes dry.

3. Add cauliflower and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring carefully with a rubber spatula every minute or so, until cauliflower is tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, to boil off any excess liquid. Stir in lemon juice mixture. Stir in cilantro and serve.

PER SERVING: 177 cal, 26% fat cal, 5g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg chol, 7g protein, 26g carb, 7g fiber, 453mg sodium

Indian-Style Curry

I made this for dinner last week and loved it. It took me over an hour to make but it made quite a bit. I just served it with white rice. Pretty tasty.

Indian-Style Curry with Potatoes, Cauliflower, Peas and Chickpeas

from americastestkitchen.com

This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course


2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces Red Bliss potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 1/2 serrano chiles , ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower , trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
Table salt
8 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

1. Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
3. Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat florets, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.


Step-by-Step: Key Steps for Building Flavor for Vegetable Curry
1. Toast the curry powder and garam masala in a dry skillet.
2. Rather than simmering potatoes in the curry, brown them with the onions.
3. Add tomato paste to the traditional garlic, ginger, and chiles for sweetness and depth.
4. Add the toasted spices to the pot to infuse the dish with flavor.
5. Sauté vegetables in spices following a simple Indian technique called bhuna