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Mal, sounds delicious. I always thought it was harder to make the dry beans, but sodium is something we need to watch in our diets so I might try that. Make a big pot on Sunday and feed us through Thursday.
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for years i avoided the dried beans and then decided to give them a shot... if you let them cook long enough - they are delicious...
Lentils are also a really good beef alternative -- there's recipes all over the web for things like lentil loaf or lentil patties...
Chana Masala is an indian dish that's made with chic peas (garbonzos, cece beans)
2 tbs olive oil (or any oil i suppose)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbs curry (hot or sweet, depending on your preference, if you use hot curry - use 1 tbs)
1 tbs tomato paste (ketchup could work too - I tend to get the tomato paste that comes in the squeeze tube so it keeps forever in the fridge)
15 oz can of chick peas drained
1 tbs butter
Juice of 1 lemon
fresh black pepper
crushed red pepper, optional to taste
Saute onions until slightly caramelized over high heat, lower heat to medium and add garlic, curry, and tomato paste. Add chick peas, 1/4 cup water or chicken stock, lemon juice, and black pepper.
Simmer 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add red pepper to taste.
Add butter, stirring through to melt it. (i'm told that the butter or ghee makes it more authentic -i've left it out many times)
Stir and simmer for 5 minutes more or until peas are softened and dish is hot.
Serve over rice or w/ pita bread
I googled more indian type recipes (that is if you like curry - there's a curry that's potato, red lentils and peas that's really good0
http://www.mediterrasian.com/delicio...ntil_curry.htm
Lentils, peas and bite-size cubes of potato in a richly-spiced tomato and coconut milk gravy.
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 onions—finely chopped
2 cloves garlic—minced (crushed)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 large potato—peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
½ cup red lentils
14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes—chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. ADD the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. ADD the potato and lentils and stir to coat with the spice mixture. ADD the tomatoes, coconut milk, stock, garam masala, salt and sugar, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. REDUCE the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. WHILE the curry simmers, cook the rice. ADD the peas to the curry and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. SERVE on a bed of rice.
Variations: Replace the cilantro with fresh mint. Serve with naan bread instead of rice.
Indian vegetarian food (other than the spices involved) tend to use pretty inexpensive ingredients - lots of lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes or chic peas) if you can get the spices cheaply (World Market up by where I live (not far from the zoo) has an aisle devoted to spices that are pretty cheap.