Caribbean Chickpea Curry

Prep Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 45 minutes. Total Time: 60 minutes.

Have I mentioned before how much I love spicy foods? Curry is one of my favorites and the base of this dish, coconut milk, is something we have an abundance of here in the Virgin Islands.

I start the rice first. Then while it is cooking I chop the onions and peppers, measure out the spices and set up my cooking space. Once rice is off the heat. Let sit covering in pot for 10-20 minutes. This is when I start making the curry. By the time you finish, the rice is ready to go! Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients

Curry:

• 1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can tomatoes, drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 4 banana peppers, chopped
• 1 tsp veg oil
• 1 ½ tsp cornstarch (mix with 3 tsp cold water- This is called a slurry!)
• 1 tbsp. curry paste

Seasoning:

• 1 tsp cumin*
• 1 tsp turmeric*
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper*
• ¼ tsp chili powder*
• ½ tsp garlic powder*
• ½ tsp black pepper*
• ½ tsp basil*

Rice:

• 3 cups water
• ½ bouillon cube
• 1 ½ cups brown rice

*these are optional. To reduce the sodium content, I use less curry paste and like to add a lot of spices. I tend to throw in a little of everything I have on hand, but if you’re missing one or all of these, it will still turn out well. Just add another 1/2-1 tbsp of curry powder or paste.

Directions

Curry:

Sautee onions, jalapeno, and banana peppers in veg oil on medium heat. Once onions are caramelized, add tomatoes, chick peas, basil, and spices. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in coconut milk, slurry, and curry paste. Bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Rice:

To make rice. Wash it 3-4 times by soaking in water, pressing rice gently, and draining excess water. Mix water, rice, and bouillon cube in a pot. Bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes. Then leave covered for 10-20 minutes in pot.

Nutrient Information: