Easy Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

2 cups onions, diced

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 chili pepper of choice, seeded and diced (I used jalapeno)

1 (2-inch) hunk fresh ginger, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoon salt

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

1 medium banana, mashed

3 ounces tomato paste

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, chili pepper, and ginger, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add spices and salt, and stir well until you end up with a paste. Add chickpeas, plus enough water to cover them (about 3 cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.  Add tomato paste and mashed banana and cook for 30 minutes more, until most of the liquid evaporates. The sauce should be thick when ready, not soupy.

Serve over rice (preferably basmati or jasmine).

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Made this tonight and it was amaze-balls (Giuliana Ranic).

Yield: A LOT (10-12 servings)

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, diced
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked fully cooked sausage (such as linguiça), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick semi-circles
• 1 pound andouille sausages, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound tasso or smoked ham (such as Black Forest), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 pounds onions, chopped (4 to 5 cups)
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1 8-to 10-ounce red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 8-to 10-ounce green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 6 large skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1- to 11/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper
• 3 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chiles (aka Ro-Tel)
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3 cups (19 to 20 ounces) long-grain white rice (NOT instant!)
• 8 green onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in very large pot over medium-high heat until brown but not yet crisp, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. Add smoked sausage, andouille, and tasso/ham. Sauté until meats start to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add onions, celery, and peppers. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Mix in chicken. Cook until outside of chicken turns white, stirring often, 5  minutes. Mix in paprika, thyme, chili powder, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute, then add diced tomatoes with chiles and broth and stir to blend well. Add more cayenne, if desired. Mix in rice.

Bring jambalaya to boil. Cover pot and place in oven, baking until rice is tender and liquids are absorbed, 45 to 48 minutes. Mix chopped green onions into jambalaya and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

From Bon Appetit, March 2011