QUICKpea and Tomato Curry with Rice

Curry is a filling and healthy choice for a dinner any day of the week. This particular curry is perfect for when you need to make something quick, since you don't have to wait for the veggies to cook and become tender. To make it even easier, you can buy curry powder that has already been mixed so all you have to do is measure. And, as always, it is quite tasty!

Serves:

2

Ingredients:

• couscous or rice (brown, white, jasmine, whatever you like really)
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp oil of your choice (I use olive oil)
• 1 Tbsp curry powder (I mix my own, since I have all the spices anyway)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer)
• 2 cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• sea salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Cooking:

1. Decide on your grain and if you need to get it going, start it. Couscous takes only a little over 6 minutes, so it is easy to make in the last minutes of the curry preparation. I always have long grain brown rice on hand, which takes close to an hour to cook, so if there is time, I make it.

2. In a big skillet, heat your oil over med-high heat. Throw in your onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onions start to become brown on the edges. Stir VERY often, if not constantly because the ginger tends to stick to the bottom easily.

3. Add the curry powder, seeds, and cayenne to the pan and continue to stir and cook for a minute.

4. Add the garbanzos, tomatoes (including the juice) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, uncover, to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. This would be the perfect time to make your couscous, if you decided to go that route.

5. Taste and add salt if needed. Sprinkle your lemon juice over the top. You can add some water if your curry is thicker than you prefer, or cook longer if it is too thin. Finish by stirring in your cilantro.

6. Ladle into shallow bowls and serve with your couscous or rice, and a little naan or flat-bread!

7. Enjoy!

Notes:

• This is a quick meal with tasty results. We usually have enough for two smaller portions for lunch the next day.
• If you like spicy food and are used to curry, the cayenne pepper portion is perfect. However, if you dislike spicy food, use a smaller portion of the curry.
• I have used dried chickpeas before and simply had to soak them for a good 24 hours before cooking. Didn't take any longer to make, just a little extra planning.

If you like curry and you are in a hurry, this is the recipe for you! Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

-Carly