Curried Chickpeas and Brown Rice

Curried Chickpeas and Brown Rice

 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
2 cups brown rice, rinsed and drained
4 cups cold water
1 cup cooked chickpeas (rinse, if canned)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
Whole or chopped roasted cashews, for garnish

Directions: 

*  Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium low heat.  Add the shallots, garlic, carrot and celery for 2-5 minutes to soften.  Stir in the rice and spices and stir another 2-3 minutes.

* Add all of the remaining ingredients except the green peas and cashews into the pan.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, stir and cover.  Simmer for 45-50 minutes and the water absorbed and rice tender.

* Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for ten minutes.  Add the peas and transfer to a server bowl or plates.  Garnish with cashews.

Notes:

* I didn't follow the directions at all.  I used the baked brown rice recipe, also on this blog, and improvised.

* I used basmati rice, canned chickpeas, Thompson raisins which seemed nicer than Sunshine.

* I put oil in a large saute pan and cooked the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots over low heat at the time recommended.  Then I added the chickpeas and raisins and spices, followed by the water which I let come to a low boil.

* Once the water was heated, I poured all of this into a 9 x 13 pyrex glass casserole, sealed with heavy duty aluminum foil and baked for about an hour.

* I mistakenly added the peas during the cooking process, which was fine, but it blanched the bright green color out.  I would add them lightly sauteed at the end in the future.

* I bought raw cashews at Whole Foods, about a cup, and I roasted them in an iron skillet with a tiny bit of coconut oil which has a higher cook point.  Given the size of the dish, and how people want to eat the cashews while they sit roasted, I would seriously consider putting two cups of cashews out to top the dish.