Coconut Lime Chickpea Curry

Curry lovers like me assume that this stew-like dish is traditional Indian cuisine because it calls for spices that come from that subcontinent: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fenugreek, and turmeric. In fact, curry is a fusion food that evolved from the taste buds of Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British explorers and expatriates who tinkered with traditional Indian dishes and spices to create a fare that agreed with their palates. According to Chef Palak Patel of the Institute of Culinary Education, curry is actually an “Indian food for non-Indians.”

The evolution of curry began with the Portuguese introduction of chile peppers and vinegar to India in about 1498. British soldiers and bureaucrats who subsequently came to India with the British East India Company “gave birth to the modern style curry dishes that we know today,” Chef Patel said. This week, Danny serves up a simplified and nourishing curry that takes about an hour from prep to table. The garnishes – yogurt, mint leaves, lime juice, and crispy chickpeas - combine textures and flavors that seem exotic yet familiar. This vegetarian recipe from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook is packed with protein and vitamins from two “superfood” ingredients – kale and chickpeas. Prepare it as a vegan dish by swapping the yogurt for soy or dairy-free yogurt.

All ingredients are available at Stewart’s Food Store.

Yields 4 servings

Suggested ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divid ed

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 ½ tsp ground turmeric

1/8 tsp or more cayenne pepper, to taste

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

½ tsp black pepper

2 - 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 - 13.5-oz cans coconut milk

2 cups vegetable broth

1 bunch kale stems removed, roughly chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

For garnish:

3/4 cup plain yogurt,

1/2 cup mint leaves,

1 cup salted crispy chick peas (store-bought or homemade. See Preparation.)

Preparation: Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute until onion is translucent, 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add turmeric, cayenne, kosher salt, black pepper, and chickpeas. Cook for 3 minutes to soften chick peas, mashing them with the back of a spoon.

Step 3: Add coconut milk and vegetable broth. Raise to boiling, then simmer 30 minutes, mashing chickpeas with spoon as it cooks.

Step 4: Stir in kale. Simmer until leaves are tender, about 7 minutes.

Step 5: Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Ladle into bowls and top with yogurt, mint, and chickpeas as desired.

Crispy chickpeas: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss chickpeas with 2 tsp olive oil, ½ teaspoon tur meric, pinch of cay enne and salt. Spread on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 mins.

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