Recipe: Chickpea Curry

This chickpea curry is fragrant and filling.

My chickpea curry, which is based on the Indian dish Chole, has great texture and is very filling when paired with rice or eaten with naan or tortillas. It’s also very simple to make.

If you can, purchase a seasoning blend called Pitta Churna (it can be bought online and at Amazon.com). It contains a blend of fragrant organic spices that are a wonderful addition to your diet. I use this seasoning blend in my chickpea dish.

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:

1 T oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1-inch piece of ginger minced or 1 T of garlic paste (you can buy this at Indian grocery stores)

1-1/2 T of Pitta Churna

1 can (1 pound-13 oz or 822 grams) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¾ c. to 1 c. of vegetable broth

1 T organic sugar

Juice from half a lemon

1-2 T of vegan buttery spread

Directions:

Heat the oil on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sautee for 3 minutes. Add Pitta Churna and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the chickpeas and cook for 3 minutes, mixing every 30 seconds or so. Add ¾ c. of veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the sugar, stir and taste. I added a couple big pinches of salt to my pot and a large pinch of black pepper (black pepper paired with turmeric increases the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric). Add the juice of half a lemon and 1 T of vegan buttery spread (you can add another tablespoon of vegan butter if you like your dish creamy). Stir and taste. Adjust the seasonings to your liking – either adding a small dash more of sugar, salt, or Pitta Churna. Let the mixture cook another five minutes and then serve with rice, naan, or tortillas. Garnish with a little cilantro, red chili flakes, chopped hot peppers, hot sauce, or siracha.

The sauce is creamy, sweet, and fragrant. The chickpeas have a bit of chew to them, while the onions still have a crispy bite. 

Review: Gardein Breakfast Sausage Patties and Upton’s Bacon Seitan

A cruelty-free breakfast definitely doesn’t include sausage and bacon…unless those items are made from veggies and grains.

If you’re a plant-based eater and want a hearty protein with your fluffy pancakes and tofu eggs, than I would definitely try Upton’s Bacon Seitan. If you pan fry it, it retains its chewy texture, but I found that when I cooked it in the toaster oven (on a tray, no oil), it crisped up a bit. 

Whenever I have Upton’s Bacon in my fridge, I eat 2-3 slices every morning. Yup, every morning. I usually just stick it between two pieces of toast with a savory spread. Otherwise, I enjoy it with tofu eggs or pancakes. It’s chewy, savory, and has a lovely spice. It doesn’t taste like bacon, but when crisped slightly in the toaster oven, it does taste like crisp, dark brown bacon.

Upton’s bacon is sliced thinly, and I find the contents more than generous. I think one box lasts me easily a week.

Gardein's sausage patties that I pan fried with fennel seeds to bring out a savory flavor.

When it comes to breakfast sausages, I haven’t found one that I really like. Gardein’s Patties look like an imitation pork patty – like what you’d get at McDonald’s. But, it tastes like mushy carrots. Now, I like carrots, so that’s not a bad thing, but if you want a savory, sausage taste, pan fry the patties with some fennel seeds. I found that gives it that sausage taste you might remember.

The patty is tender and hearty, but I just wish it had more of a savory and spiced taste to it.

So, buy the bacon seitan, but skip the Gardein patty – unless you like mushy carrots with your eggs and pancakes. 

Upton's bacon seitan sandwiched between two pancakes.