Chicken and Chickpeas

[sarah]

Ingredients:

2 1\2 cups boiled chick peas
1 inch piece cinnamon stick
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1\2 cup oil
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1\4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1\2 teaspoon garam masala
1\2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 green chilis, finely chopped
1 whole chicken cut into 8 pcs

How to Cook:

1. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan. Add onions and stirring frequently, sauté until the onions are light brown, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic, sauté until the mixture turns to a golden color, about 3-5 minutes. (Add 2-3 tablespoons of water, if the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder,garam masala,salt and a little water to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stirring frequently, fry the mixture for few more minutes. Then add the tomatoes. Still stirring frequently, fry the onion mixture for about 8 minutes until the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp. Add a little water, if necessary, to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep frying until the oil begins to separate.
3. Add chicken and stirring frequently, fry to a golden color or all the moisture has evaporated, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup water, cover the pan, reduce the heat and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
5. Add the boiled chick peas and 2 cups of water from the chick peas. Carefully mix it with the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until the chick peas have absorbed some of the flavor.
6.garnish with coriander leaves and green chilies.
7. Serve with Nan or basmati rice.

This recipe serves 6 people.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

[Brooksy]

I made this up last week Sarah and was brilliant.

Thanks for posting

[Piccolina]

If a person wanted to make this all veg, what would you use in place of the chicken? (Lovely recipe as is Sarah, please don't get me wrong )

[Brooksy]

Originally Posted by ICadvisor

If a person wanted to make this all veg, what would you use in place of the chicken? (Lovely recipe as is Sarah, please don't get me wrong )

I'm interested in Sarah's response as well, but what we do for vego's generally is to cube (about an inch) & roll (solid) tofu in flour then fry it. We used vege stock instead of pea water because the chick peas were canned.

Make the sauce (observing the times) and add the fried tofu at the end and roll in the sauce to pick up flavour. Not too roughly or you'll break up the cubes.

Of course Sarah is lovely IC, she's part of Discuss Cooking.

[Piccolina]

Originally Posted by Brooksy

Of course Sarah is lovely IC, she's part of Discuss Cooking.

LOL, typing at 3am I seem to have misplaced a comma Good eyes, Brooksy!

Thanks for the cool tofu tip! I was thinking perhaps eggplant....? But your idea would be great for a veggie crowd as well

[Brooksy]

Egg plant, I think, would add a different flavour to the dish.
Tofu, like chicken is pretty bland and allows the sauce to do it's stuff and create the dish. Coating the tofu in flour and frying it just helps to keep it together.

As an egg plant dish - thin slice your egg plant & coat with oil. Ridge (or char) grill the slices ensuring they are cooked through and patterned, prepare the sauce & serve over the grilled egg plant.

Another suggestion for the tofu - tell the vegges it (the tofu) is vegetarian chicken.
Chickens fed only on vegetables.

[Yakuta]

ICAdvisor just leave the chicken out (I make this just with chickpeas by themselves and for those extra special days I serve it with the fried poori bread) or if you want to add a little something extra add boiled cubed potatoes. One of the very popular street foods in India prepare these chickpeas with potatoes and then top it with tamarind sauce, crispy fried onions and some freshly chopped mint and cilantro. The gravy is thick (not runny) and the sweet, sour, minty, crunchy and spicy flavors hit you all at once.

BTW Sarah, hope your fasts are going good. It's nice to see a posting from you.

[sarah]

hey guys!
good to see u all again,i've been away for a long time thats why didnt see all these posts and didnt reply ofcourse.....i'm a mommy now ,my lil girl keeps me busy all the time,she is 6 weeks old now....
i dont know about eggplant or tofu but as Yakuta said,i was gonna suggest potatoes as well,they just go great with chickpeas,try them,or just plain chickpeas are very tasty too,another suggestion is mix them with some kidney beans and let them cook until the sauce thickens....
let me know how u like them,if u try any of these...
Yakuta i still didnt satrt fasting ,i miss fasting sooooo much,but theres nothing i can do.....how about u?

[Piccolina]

Hi Sarah - Congratulations on your little angel!!!



I am going to make this and take both your's and Yakuta's suggestions. Im going to leave out the chicken and use both extra chickpeas and some potatoes - thanks for your suggestions guys

[Yakuta]

Congrats Sara, I am sure it must be busy with the little one. Enjoy these precious and sometimes tiring times. My boys are still young but I miss the days when they were that little. Somehow they grow up faster than we expect.

No need to miss the fasts, I guess your first obligation is towards her. I am not fasting either because of some health issues.

Goodluck and wishing you and your family a happy Eid.