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Monday, May 17, 2010

Curried Rice with Chickpeas...a complete protein.

I sure am getting my money's rental time's worth of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian!  My copy is coming due in a day or so at the library and I don't want to give it back.  Another one for the purchase pile.  The other night I was looking for something to make with things I already had in the pantry/fridge (yup, one of those days again).  I'm always so excited when I find something that we love and file away in our mental checklist of things to make again.  This dish contains chickpeas and rice, which together make a complete protein...and with the addition of coconut milk and curry powder, they had so much addicting flavor!  I used brown rice, which essentially doubled the cooking time but that's okay...and I threw in some fried tofu, one of my current favorite things!

Curried Rice with Chickpeas
from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
serves 4

1 Tbs. Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium bell pepper, cored, seeded & finely chopped
1 heaping Tbs. curry powder
1 1/2 c. chopped ripe tomato w/ juice
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (plus some water or veg stock if using brown rice like I did)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c. long grain rice (or long grain brown rice)
1 c. cooked or drained canned chickpeas
handful of peas, fresh or frozen

Put oil in a medium pot with a lid over medium-high heat.  When hot, add onion, garlic, bell pepper and curry powder, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, coconut milk, bay leaf , some salt and plenty of pepper; bring to a boil.

Stir in the rice and chickpeas, cover and turn the heat down to low so that the mixture bubbles gently.  Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

*If using brown rice, I recommend starting with water and after the first 30 minutes, stirring in the coconut milk.  This will allow the rice to cook about 2/3 of the way before adding the coconut milk which can burn onto bottom of pan during longer cooking time, which was a total of about 45 minutes.

I'm submitting this at IHCC this week for our POTLUCK! theme...why not join us this week...nothin' but Bittman :)  I'm also submitting this to Meatless Mondays over at My Sweet and Savory hosted by Chaya.

IHCC

Would you like to comment?

  1. I am always looking for new ways with my new found friend the chickpea.

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  2. A comforting rice dish! Chickenpeas, peas, and curry....some of the best ingredients in the food world.

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  3. I love all the components in this recipe. They sound like a match made in heaven to me. Definitely one to add to my ever-growing Mark Bittman file.

    P.S. I love my copy of HTCEV. Kitchen Express and HTCEV are my two faves.

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  4. This looks and sounds delicious! One question...I don't really like chickpeas? Can you think of an appropriate substitute?

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  5. TKW...hmmmm. Maybe another firm bean/legume of sorts?? Or a less firm one, just add it further into the cooking process so it doesn't turn to mush. Why oh why don't you like chickpeas? ;)

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  6. This curried rice is so cool! I love the idea of adding fried tofu! This yummy rice is more powerful than 10 protein bars! :)

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  7. Girlie, I think its the smell of canned chickpeas people do not like, I make mine fresh from dried and cook them in chicken stock, and add seasonings as you did, so that helps.

    I love them and this dish! Yay for curry and rice dishes...

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  8. I like all of Bittman's recipes and I mean all. Every one has been a success. This sounds like another success.

    I don't have his Vegetarian book but I have How to Cook Everything and I can't imagine getting through all those veggie recipes. I am having fun with his recipes.

    I should link up now before I forget. Thanks for the reminder.

    So good to have you back.

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  9. Yum!! I love curry, chickpeas & brown rice!!

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  10. I'm so glad you're a fellow tofu bandwagon-er! Love that stuff.

    This looks like a wonderfully flavorful chickpea/rice recipe! Go Bittman!

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  11. this sounds so good and flavor packed that no one would even miss the meat. delicious!

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  12. Mmmm...I need to cook with chickpeas more often. Looks delicious!!!

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  13. hmmm...I wonder why I don't go to the library for cookbooks. I need to start doing that. Seriously.
    I love brown rice. It has flavor! (unlike white rice...sir sportsalots choice of rice). I wonder if the ban on cooking with curry has been lifted (read: forgotten) by the other household members. Apparently they have something against the house smelling like curry for 2 days. (they are sooooo weird!)
    (verification word: raforbum. I know what a bum is...(british for a$$) but what the hell is a rafor?) sorry...it's been a long day and the wine is kicking in..woo hoo

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  14. Thanks for linking this delicious recipe to My Meatless Mondays.

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  15. Oh, come on...buy the book already lol! ;-) You know you are going to. This looks delicious--all of my favorite ingredients and flavors. I'm marking this one to try.

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  16. Dani...LOL, not sure...but yeah...you should see me when I leave the library...books (cookbooks & other) teetering precariously in my arms. HA!! That way you can preview them before you buy them. Course, I'm always renewing the ones I love on everybody in the whole households cards before I return them!! :D

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  17. Bittman scores again - love all the flavors. Would definitely use brown rice. I love, love chickpeas. And then you curried the rice...what's not to love?

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  18. A new, excellent way to prepare chickpeas! Looks delicious!

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  19. Really a great recipe for a vegetarian.

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  20. Thanks for the tips on using brown rice, I always have trouble when using it instead of white rice in these types of recipes. Will definitely try and compare to mine:
    http://www.cookeatdelicious.com/grains-recipes/rice-recipes/curried-rice-chickpeas-recipe.html

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