Garbanzos!

My friend was very proud of this little plant and sent me the photograph.  It is a 'Chickpea' plant complete with cute little pods.  I did not know you can grow these in the UK.  I love the fat little pods.  I also love chickpeas.  I buy the dried variety as this works out more economical than the canned and use my 'Slowpot' / 'crockpot' to prepare them in bulk.  When they are tender I then put them in to little bags in the freezer, so they are ready to drop in to soups, curries, stews, and salads.  I will also have to have a go at 'falafels'.  I love the Blog 'Alia's Creative Life' and really enjoyed the photographs that accompanied this recipe here Masala Garbanzos.  Garbanzos are good on 'Healthy Eating Plans'!  Inspired by Alia's recipe, I tweaked it a little to make 'Aloo Chana Chaat' in my trusty old 'Slowpot'.  I think this is a great healthy, tasty and thrifty recipe.


Aloo Chana Chaat

Garbanzos, (Chick Peas) 2 Cups (You can use them straight from the can or just boil Chickpeas)
Onions, 3, finely sliced
Tomato, 3, finely chopped
2tsp Garam Masala
2 red chilies finely chopped
six cloves of garlic finely chopped
Boiled Potato, 3 Medium, Peeled and Cubed
Coriander Leaves/Cilantro, 2 Tsp, Chopped
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Heat some oil in a sauce pan or a wok.( I used that spray oil honest Guv!)
2) Saute the onion it becomes tender.  Put it into a slowpot on the hot setting.
3) Add the Garlic, chilies, Garam Masala, Chopped tomatoes and Potatoes.
4) Add the Garbanzos (Boiled Chickpeas) and stir well.
5) Cook on hot for 3 hours then turn it low until ready to eat.   Garnish with Coriander Leaves!
6) Serve Hot, with Tamarind Sauce or Chutney.


I also had a block of dried 'Tamarind' at the back of the cupboard.  I have never used Tamarind at all.  The same friend with the 'Chickpea' plant said her Hubby bought a block too and wondered what you do with 200g of the stuff.  I 'googled' and found a recipe for a sauce, the sauce apparently keeps really well.  Again I tweaked the recipe to suit my store cupboard.  


Tamarind Sauce
200g of Dried Tamarind
500ml of hot water
1tsp of chilli powder
2tsp Garam Masala
1tsp Salt
75g of sugar
1 large dessert spoon of Black Treacle


Put all the ingredients together and soak for 30 minutes.   Using a liquidizer or hand blender whizz until smooth.  Now for the labour intensive bit...rub the mixture through a sieve.   Bottle and store in the fridge.  This makes a delicious tangy sauce to add to curries or to eat as an condiment.  

Aloo Chana Chaat served with Homemade Tamarind Sauce

Paysanne Salad

I wish this looked as nice as it tasted.  I asked you for 'Potato' recipes and Sarah from Knits and Crosses Blog suggested a 'Paysanne' Salad.  I had never heard of one, so a googling I did go!  Paysanne is very similar to Nicoise Salad.  A perfect recipe for me as it requires potatoes and eggs, I have an abundance of both at the moment.  It made a hearty main meal salad that we had during the very warm spell of weather when you really don't want to cook and nobody really wants to eat.  I did adapt the recipe to suit my 'store cupboard'.
Ingredients
200g Penne Pasta (Cooked)
300g of cooked New Potatoes (sliced into chunks)
200g of fried Bacon lardons
200g of lightly steamed french beans ( cut into 2cm pieces)
six small hardboiled eggs (chopped into chunks or sliced)
150ml of Garlic Mayonnaise ( I made my own fresh mayo for the first time!  with egg yolks, cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard and garlic)
Method
Mix it all together!
Deliciously simple.  Very substantial.  Tasty with crusty bread and it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Thanks Sarah for broadening my culinary horizons.

One Potato, two potato, three potato, four!

They have arrived!  The spuds are here.  I dug two baskets of these beauties out with my bare hands last week.  I invited my parents to lunch, for a Baked Potato ceremony.  This variety of spud is rather aptly called 'Red Rooster'.   I took some camping, wrapped them in foil and cooked them on the campfire.  I even packed butter and salt.  With sausages they were delicious, mind you everything tastes delicious when your camping, it sure does make you hungry.  My friend is coming to lunch today, for a 'Jacket Potato'.  She is a gardener too and we often exchange produce or plants, so I look forward to her visits.  Her husband's marmalade is usually exchanged for a jar of my Raspberry Jam.
I am going to make a Potato Curry again 'Medha style'.  I loved each one of 'Mimi's Mommy's'  potato recipes.

Mimi's Mommy - Authentic Indian recipes with the Versatile Potato

My attempts at Medha's recipes

I love the humble spud!  Do you have any favourite potato recipes?