Skip to main content

Spicy Chickpeas with Potatoes

Here is an everyday dish with a fair number of ingredients. Once you have them all prepared and assembled, the rest is fairly easy. Remember that you can chop the onions in a food processor. I have used two 15-ounce cans of organic chickpeas, draining them to separate the liquid so I can measure it. If you are not using organic canned chickpeas, use water instead of the can liquid. If the can liquid is not enough, add water to get the correct amount. Serve with Indian or Middle Eastern breads (you can even roll up the chickpeas inside them) with Yogurt Sambol with Tomato and Shallot, page 249, on the side. At a dinner, add meat and a vegetable.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onions or shallots
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a pulp
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
3 3/4 cups drained canned chickpeas
1 1/2 cups liquid from can if organic, or water, or mixture of the two
2 medium boiling potatoes (5–6 ounces), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix together the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl.

    Step 2

    Pour the oil into a medium-sized pan and set over medium heat. When hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry for 3–4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir for a minute. Put in the spice mixture from the bowl. Stir for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes or until the tomato has softened. Add the chickpeas and 1 1/2 cups of the liquid from the can, adding water if needed (see above). Then add the potatoes and the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 15–20 minutes.

Image may contain: Human, Person, Madhur Jaffrey, and Plant
Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
A slow-simmering, comforting braise delivering healing to both body and soul.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Summer’s best produce cooked into one vibrant, silky, flavor-packed dish.