Ep 2 Curried Chickpeas & Brown Rice

A quick and easy dish for that weekday evening when you need dinner in a hurry—and you can use whatever leafy greens you happen to have in your fridge!

Canned chickpeas are convenient, especially for those last-minute meals, but if you want more flavour, less sodium, and no preservatives, consider cooking dried chickpeas instead. As dried chickpeas require soaking and over an hour cooking time, we would suggest cooking them in bulk ahead of time. Chickpeas freeze well, making it easy for you to grab some from the freezer when you need them in a recipe.

If you are using canned chickpeas, make sure you check the ingredients list (as always, a great habit to cultivate). Most canned chickpeas will contain salt, sugar, preservatives, and seasoning. The liquid found in the can are also known to increase flatulence, so if you are prone to gas, be sure to rinse the chickpeas thoroughly before cooking.

When it comes to rice, if possible, always go for the unpolished or wholegrain version such as brown rice. Unlike white rice, unpolished or wholegrain rices only have the inedible outer hull removed, therefore retaining most of its nutritional value and increasing the intake of dietary fibre, keeping the digestive system healthy. Bear in mind that in general, non-white rice takes longer to cook (about 30 minutes).

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Garlic-infused brown rice
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
3 garlic cloves, peeled

Leafy greens
½ cup water
1 small onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, diced
Approximately 120 g fresh leafy greens of choice (e.g.: kailan, spinach, etc.)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soy sauce

Curried chickpeas
1 425 g canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed well
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp light soy sauce

Method

1. Place brown rice in rice cooker bowl. Wash and rinse with water. Add 2 cups of water and garlic, then program rice cooker to cook.
2. While rice is cooking, drain the liquid from the can of chickpeas. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
3. After rice has been cooking for about 15 minutes, heat a medium-sized non-stick frying pan over low flame. Add water and onion. Simmer until onions become translucent then add garlic, cooking until softened and fragrant (you may need to add more water to keep the onions and garlic from sticking to the pan).
4. Increase flame to medium. Add vegetables and fry until bright green and wilting slightly. Lower flame and transfer leafy greens onto a plate. Season with sesame oil and soy sauce.
5. Return frying pan to flame and increase to medium. Add oil & fry curry powder until fragrant.
6. Then add chickpeas, and soy sauce. Fry until all the liquid has been absorbed.
7. When rice is cooked, stir to mash and mix in garlic.
8. Serve curried chickpeas and leafy greens with the garlic-infused brown rice.

Facts:
Chickpeas: also known as garbanzo; you mayreplace home cooked chickpeas with canned chickpeas, if you have the time. Chickpeas stored well in freezer. Cook extra amount for future use. Of course home cooked beans are more flavorful, less sodium, and have no preservatives.

Liquid in canned beans: Should the liquid be saved for sauces or other recipes? It is a personal preference. Consider the flavour, and the ingredients in it. The ingredients include: salt, sugar, preservatives, some nutrients, and other seasongs. It also cantains gas-inducing components. Without the use of the liquid, the benefits of chickpeas remained.