Spicy, Sweet and Sour Chickpeas and Blog Stats!

This was the post I started before the last post happened. Like everything in life there is always unintended consequences. The post certainly made this blog suddenly spikes its readership. "Controversy sells man big time". I am also sleeping like a baby these days with nary a worry about the motherland, the defense of which is certainly in very good hands. These patriots are going to stop enemies dead in their tracks, fear of food scarcity and disappearing farmland -nope those will be so scared to rear their ugly head, corruption and bureaucracy well that is only in people's imagination, well the pollution you just have to suck it in and hold your nose, as for the 3/4th of the population living below the poverty line - well that is a statistic someone cooked up to get popular and the last but not the least the upwardly mobile who just can't wait to get out - well they have will have the cake and eat it too. Heck how about the disappearing tigers from wilderness, not to worry the paper tigers will easily replace them. I am positively deliriously happy about the situation that exists there. Those sharpening your blades beat it will ya? But on second thought, I like this spike in blog stats though. So go ahead "Bring it On!".


My cheek is prtoesting to the tongue already. So lets move on to more pleasant topics and straight talk, like this sweet and sour chickpeas. I arrived at this recipe on Laura Rebecca's Kitchen via Kalyn's South Beach Phase One Recipes . The same combination of onions and tomatoes with chickpeas was getting repetitive and this sounded really good and the lemon juice was too attractive to resist. I precooked the chickpeas and used but you can also add the raw chickpeas to the masala and pressure cook all in one pot. The sweet comes from the addition of some purple potatoes. It gave a slight sweetness to balance to the dish. I was in the moods for some bay leaves so added some.

Spicy, Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
Ingredients
1. 2 Cups Chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked ( I added a handful of small red beans)
2. 1 Medium Red onions (color does not matter any onion is fine)
3. 6 green chilies slit
4. 1 1/2 roma tomatoes
5. 1/2 tbsp ginger grated
6. 1 tbsp lime juice (juice from one lime)
7. 2 tsp red chili powder
8. 1 tsp cumin powder
9. 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
10. 1 tsp chicken masala powder (substitute with garam masala powder) - optional
11. 1 Purple Potato cooked and chopped into bite sized pieces (substitute with regular potatoes 1 cup)
12. Salt to taste
13. Seasonings: Cumin seeds, bay leaves
14. 1 tsp oil

Method
1. In a pressure pan or any pan heat oil and add the cumin seeds and bay leaves
2. Add the onions and green chilies and saute till onions are translucent
3. Add the powders (cumin, chili, coriander powders) and mix well
4. Add the tomatoes and cook till they are mashed thoroughly
5. Add the cooked chickpeas with a cup of water and salt and let them boil together for 5-8 minutes. Mid way add the lemon juice and give a stir.
6. When the desired consistency is reached add the potatoes and give a good stir and turn off the heat.

Serve as is or with chapatis or even rice.