Chickpeas with Mushrooms

The first recipe I ever tried from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey was this spicy chickpea and mushroom dish. Well, how could I resist combining chickpeas and mushrooms when they are two of my very favorite ingredients and they pair so well together. This Indian-spiced dish can be served as is but I decided that I liked the idea of presenting it in a wrap topped with yogurt and a sprinkling of hot sauce. I adapted the recipe slightly, but generally stuck to Ms. Jaffrey's instructions. For an extra special mushroom treat, serve with a generous portion of mushroom curry as a side.

Chickpeas with Mushrooms

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka Cuisine: Indian Published on December 14, 2010 Buttery chickpeas and tender mushrooms simmered in a fragrant, earthy and spicy cinnamon and spice sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1/4 cup ghee or olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2-inch piece cinnamon stick 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1-inch piece ginger, grated or minced 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 10 to 12 cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1 small tomato, diced 2 to 3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste To serve (optional): 8 to 10 soft tortillas 1 small tomato, diced fresh chopped parsley or cilantro 1 small onion, finely chopped yogurt or sour cream hot sauce Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas are buttery soft — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside. Heat the ghee or oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the onion and stir for 5 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. Toss in the ginger and garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Stir once and then add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until they begin to lose their liquid. Add the tomato, chopped chilies and a 1/2 cup of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pan along with the salt and 1 cup of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve as a wrap, place a few tablespoons of the chickpea mushroom mixture in the middle of a tortilla. Add some finely chopped tomato, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and finely sliced onion if desired. Wrap, transfer to a plate, and top with fresh yogurt or sour cream drizzled with hot sauce or with your favorite chutney or salsa. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Other spicy chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Shredded Paneer with Tomatoes, Chilies, Mushrooms and Chickpeas
Chickpea Vindaloo
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy
Spicy Chickpeas with Ground Pomegranate Seeds

On the top of the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules