Black and Yellow Chickpeas with a Coconut Chili Sauce

My trusted volume of 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer has many post-it notes sticking out from the pages. Excuse me for once again raving about this fabulous book that includes lots of inspired ideas for spice blends, appetizers, paneer dishes, legumes, vegetables, grains and fusion style Indian curries. The introductions to his recipes are informative and highly entertaining. This cookbook is highly recommended from Lisa's Kitchen and it makes a great gift too for cooks that enjoy creative and heart-warming, but often easy to prepare, Indian dishes. Coconut and chilies go so well with the chickpeas and spices in this dish. While the black chickpeas add a nice texture, wholesome regular yellow chickpeas could be substituted instead.

Black and Yellow Chickpeas with a Coconut Chili Sauce

2/3 cup of dried black chickpeas
1/3 cup of dried yellow chickpeas
6 green cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (roughly 2 - 3 inches long)
4 tablespoons of ghee or a mixture of butter and oil
2/3 cup of dried coconut
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
4 - 6 green chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
a generous handful of dried curry leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

Rinse and soak the chickpeas in enough water to cover overnight. Drain, transfer to a large pot and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the cardamon pods, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cover and reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the chickpeas are tender - roughly 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the chickpeas are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a frying pan. When hot, add the coriander seeds, coconut and chilies to the pan. Stir and fry until the coconut begins to brown. Transfer to a blender, along with 2/3 cup of water and blend into a paste. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry until they turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Add the curry leaves to the pan, stir and remove from the heat.

When the chickpeas are finished cooking, add the coconut paste, mustard and curry leaves and sea salt to the pot. Simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cardamon pods before serving.

Serves 4.

More chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Gravy
Chickpeas with Coconut Sauce
Spicy Chickpeas with a Tangy Tomato Glaze

On the top of the reading stack: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Audio Accompaniment: Under the Wood by SYSYPHE (this track pleasantly drowns out the doozers who are yet still making a terrible racket on our street.)