Chickpea & Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 3 carrots- cut into cubes


• 2 cups green beans cut into medium pieces


• 250 grams chickpeas soaked and cooked (tip- if you don't put salt in the water, the chickpeas become nicely soft!)


• 1 spoon date syrup


• 3 spoons tomato paste


• 1 cup tamarind water


• salt to taste

For the Sauce

• 4 onions- chopped


• ½ cup of sliced peeled ginger


• one whole garlic peeled


• 1 small chilli


• 1 cup coconut milk or coconut grated


• 10 curry leaves


• 2 tsp black mustard seeds


• 1.5 tsp cumin seeds


• 1 tsp fennel seeds


• 2 tsp roasted and ground coriander seeds


• 1 tbsp turmeric


• 1 cinnamon stick


• 3 cloves


• 3 cardamom seeds

Method

Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, and chilly with very little or no oil until onion becomes golden. Grind with and add to the coconut or coconut milk to make it a paste.

Steam the green beans and carrots in a steaming basket.

Dry temper the seeds till they begin to sputter. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamon seeds and then add the onion /garlic /ginger paste. Keep stirring. Add the coriander powder and the turmeric until nicely yellow. Add more turmeric if needed. Add the rest of the spices. Add the date syrup, tomato paste, tamarind water and salt. Cook till the sauce becomes thick. Add the chickpeas and vegetables. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serves 8.