Chickpeas with Pumpkin, Lemongrass & Coriander

I have used this recipe three times now, and we love it more each time. If you don't have time to cook the dried chickpeas from scratch, do as I did and use a can of chickpeas in water (drained of course) I also used the block of coconut that you can buy from the supermarket, I didn't have any coconut milk to hand, so I chopped a chunk of the block and dropped it into the pot. The second time I used the little sachets of creamed coconut that come 4 to a box (I used one). So to sum up here below is the original recipe, but like me if you haven't got everything then use what you have. One more thing ! I added the cooked french beans into the curry towards the end of cooking to add a little colour, the recipe doesn't call for this, but we liked it and I may try peas next time. OK now on with the recipe .........................

Ingredients

Enough for 4-6 people

. Dried chickpeas - 200g, soaked in water for several hours.
( I used canned chickpeas)
. Onions - 2 medium.
. groundnut oil - 2 tablespoons (plus a little more later)
(I used olive oil)
. Garlic - 4 cloves
. Ginger - a thumb size piece.
. Lemongrass - 3 large stalks (I used only 2)
. Ground coriander - 2 teaspoons
. Ground turmeric - 2 teaspoons
. Green Cardamoms - 6
. Hot red chillies - 2 ( I would say mild ones if you don't like your food too hot)
. Pumpkin - 500g, peeled and seeded (about 1kg unprepared weight) (I used more )
. Vegetable stock - 250ml
. Coconut milk - 400ml ( or do as I did and pop a chunk of block creamed coconut in )
. Yellow mustard seeds - a tablespoon * see note below
. Coriander leaves - a handful
* yellow mustard seeds - ( I didn't add these the first time I cooked this as I never had any, added some the second time after buying. - result : - not a lot of difference to be honest)

Method

. Drain the chickpeas and bring them to the boil in deep unsalted water. Let them simmer for

40 to 50 minutes, until tender. (Or cheat and use canned chickpeas, I can is sufficient )

. Peel the onions and chop them quite finely. pour the oil into a deep casserole (or wok, or deep lidded fry-pan) add the onions, letting them cook over a moderate heat until soft and translucent.

. Meanwhile, peel the garlic and the ginger, remove any tough leaves from the lemongrass, then make them all into a rough paste in a food processor ( I used a mini one )

. Stir the rough paste into the softened onions and continue to cook.

. Add the ground coriander and turmeric, then lightly crush the seeds of the green cardamoms.

. De-seed and finely chop the fresh chillies (I used my own grown DRIED chillies) and stir them in. Keep the heat fairly low and on no account allow the ingredients to brown.

. Chop the pumpkin into large chunks, although no larger than you would put into your mouth, then add pumpkin to the pan, along with the drained (fresh or canned) chickpeas and the stock. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and continue to cook at a gentle bubble until the pumpkin is tender. Stop as soon as the flesh is yielding to the point of a knife, you don't want it to collapse.

. Stir in the coconut milk and continue to simmer.

. Put a splash of oil into a nonstick pan (with a lid) and tip in the yellow mustard seeds. As soon as they start to pop (hence the lid !!) add them to the pumpkin along with the coriander leaves.

. At the end of cooking you can add ready cooked french green beans or some peas to add a little colour and more texture to this delicious dish. (this is optional, it wasn't in the original recipe)

Serve with Brown or white basmati (or your favorite ) rice.

That's it !! it seems a bit daunting when you look at the recipe but honestly it's a doddle and second time on it's very quick to make. SO Happy Cooking x

This recipe is taken from 'Nigel Slater's new cookbook - Tender Volume 1: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch. fabulous book, much more than a cookery book.