I’ve been frequenting my local library a lot during the weekends. Lately, I have been browsing through their collection of books by Indian authors/books set in India. I managed to finish 4 books in the last 3 months, which is more than I’d read in the last 2 years!
Here are a few books I’ve enjoyed recently. You might like them too.
Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes by Shoba Narayan
A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi
The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi
Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi
Serving Crazy with Curry by Amulya Malladi (Of all of Malladi’s books, this was my least favorite.)
I’m currently halfway through Rupa Bajwa’s The Sari Shop. Anita Rau Badami’s Tamarind Woman is next on my list to read.
I think I just might have rediscovered the joy of reading! I did not make any New Year's resolutions, but if had made one, it would be this- to read more.
During a recent visit to the library a few days back I picked up, among other books, a couple of cookbooks too.
This recipe for peppery chickpeas is something I came across in Maya Kaimal's Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala. It is a very simple recipe that can be prepared in a jiffy especially if you are like me, and always have a couple of cans of chickpeas on hand.
Ingredients:
(For almost 2 servings)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
¾ tsp pepper, coarsely ground
¼ tsp cumin seeds, roasted & powdered
½ tsp coriander powder
A pinch of chilli powder
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt
For seasoning:
1 Tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Add the onions and sauté till lightly brown.
Add the spice powders (pepper, coriander cumin, chilli) and cook.
Stir in the chickpeas and cover and cook for a couple of minutes for the spices to coat the chickpeas and for the flavors to come together.
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
This is my entry for JFI: Chickpeas. I’m also sending this across for the seventh edition of My Legume Love Affair.
A couple of other legume-centric dishes on this blog-
Chickpea Tikkis
Beans with Cheese and Basil
Edamame and Black Beans Thoran
Tomatillo Dal
Moth Beans Curry
Spicy Cannellini Bean Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Peppery Chickpeas
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That's an interesting recipe! And I like your header, did you do the images yourself?
Chickpea looks superb, i want to pick them one by one and eat them.
Wish my library had indian authours, they never have ( a few they have, which are years old)
Burp...burp!! Yum:)
Hi TBC, how are you girl? :))
Oh, peppery chickpeas looks delicious, great with parathas I bet.
Happy new year and enjoy the weekend.
This looks fantastic. Like you, I've always got some chickpeas on hand, so this would be a great dish to cook up on the fly.
I always look for new recipes with chickpeas, this is very interesting and looks lovely and delicious..Shall soon give this a try..Very nice entry
I never thought of adding pepper to this dish, which I make all the time!! Looks yummy! And reading is definitely a good resolution, we'll see how long you keep it up :D
looks like you've been reading lot of books these days :) They sound interesting. Let me see if I can find those in our local library!
Adding black pepper to chickpeas is a nice idea. The curry looks so mouth-watering.
yummy!!Wish you very happy New Year.
Mmm..the chickpeas look so tasty.
How lovely to see your reading list. South Asian contemporary writing is one of my favorite genres too. I did read the Sari Shop last year- parts of it were haunting.
Tamarind Woman is one I had not heard of- will look for it.
Maya's cookbook is wonderful, gorgeous photos in it, too. I have it...somewhere...; )
I never, ever tire of spicy chickpea dishes. Yours looks so very good. Think I'll try it in a few days. Thanks for the find.
Happy New Year, TBC!
Cool recipe and nice entry for the event!
Oh those look yum TBC..thanks for the entry...and your book list is tempting..wish I were also reading them...:(
Hey.. this is my first time here.. U have a real cool blog! I am noting down the names of the books. I'll have to find time to read some of hers..
BTW the dish looks simple but real chat pata.. will make this sometimes, & i'll be back.
man... i have barely read 5 books in the last 2 years since the birth of my daughter. Its been a bit better off late - when I was in india recently I managed to read 2 jhumpa lahiri books and inheritance of loss by kirandesai and after coming back managed to read secret life of a slummy mummy -fiona neill. I amso far behind all the reading :( good good i like your new year resolution. have you read Barbara Kingsolver?? if you haven't you must must... especially if you like novels set in places, nature. check in your library. nice chickpeas - would make timepass starters.
lovley dish.....
Hi TBC,
Ive always admired your photographs! Thank you very much your great entry for JFI Chickpea. I like Maya Kaimal too!I went through an intense India phase too - except I went into Non fiction- Naipaul, suketu Mehta etc.
I might even try this recipe soon, will post you on the results,
best,
MS
That looks like a spicy & delicious snack... Inspired by our phone conversation, i borrowed qutie a few books and started them over the Xmas hols. too. Thanks for this list.
Wow - you sure have been catching up on your reading! The books sound good enough to eat. And the chickpeas look yummy. Thanks for the recipe and have a great year!
Love the taste of Chickpeas.. a new recipe for me to try :)
Sra- thanks!
The header- it was a free thing that I downloaded from somewhere... just played around with it a bit in photoshop...but, no... not my creation.:(
And don't tell me you're noticing it only now! ;D
HC- awww.. that's too bad... there are some books by South Asian writers that are really well-written. I'm glad my library has quite a few of them.
H- thank you! :D
Asha- how are things coming along in that gorgeous kitchen of yours?
Hope cooking has become even more enjoyable!:D
Fearless Kitchen- welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by! :)
It is so quick to make... takes all of 10 minutes!
Madhu- I don't do too much with chickpeas and this one seemed too simple and good to not give it a shot. Hope u like it(if u do make it). :)
Namratha- The spices certainly take the dish to a whole new level. The reading has been coming along pretty well... almost 5 months now. I am feeling so good that I'm doing something besides blogging (hobby-wise, that is)!
Uma- Reading is a good habit to have. I used to read a lot in India. But after coming here, I don't know what happened!
If you find something good in your library, let me know too. I'm always loooking for suggestions/recommendations.
Rachel- thank you! Wish u the same.:D
Nupur- I had actually made note of a couple of recommendations from your reading list a couple of months back. So, thank you!
So, tell me, when are you going to post something. I miss your posts so! Just a teeny-tiny one will do.:D
Susan- You don't even know where it is! Come now, Susan, that book deserves better! ;D
Hope you get a chance to make it.
And new year wishes to you too.:)
RK- thank you.:D
Srivalli- thank you.
And you do more than enough even without the reading! ;-)
Soma- welcome! and thanks for the compliment:D
The dish is very chatpata indeed.
Hope to see you around every now and then.:D
Rajani- oh, don't feel too bad about that. Your daughter keeps you so busy, I'm sure, that that leaves you time for little else.:)
I've been looking for Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth and Interpreter of Maladies in the library but they're always out. I'll make a note of the others u have mentioned here.
Sona- thank you.:D
What is the latest at your end? The kids must be keeping u busy for sure.:D
MS- how nice of you to say that! thank you! :D
I don't care much for non-fiction right now, but books by Indian writers/books with India as the backdrop interest me more these days especially since I got back from a trip home only a couple of months back.:)
Laavanya- I'm so sorry I never sent u that list(after one of our conversations)! I really meant to! I'm so glad to hear that you've been inspired to read as well.:D
Mallika- how are you doing, mom-to-be?:D Yeah, I guess at this stage you would find anything good enough to eat! ;-)
My best to you as well. Life will never be the same again for you.:)
Uj- thanks. Hope you like it as much as I did.:)
Chickpeas is a favorite at our place and any variation other than chana masala is welcome. Looks yumm!
Loved the booklist. I should see if my library has these. The chickpeas look delicious.
just found this blog and i'm glad! really great all th ebest to you!! nice recipes. thanx
A classic chickpea preparation this is. I'm just craving those plump peas!
Thanks
for the titles..why don't u write a bit more on each?
I always have a can of chickpeas around...thanks for sharing this recipe! They look great!!
Found your blog on Leftover Queen's Finest Foodies...congrats for being featured!
awlright! here's the 26th burp :)
this sounds simple enough for a no-good cook like moi...I am trying it out this weekend, maybe even tonight..i have all the ingredients in my pantry.........
i quite liked the red pepper hummus recipe of yours too....i have tried making traditional hummus in past with fairly decent success...so I am tempted to try this take on hummus too...:) also coz i simply love roasted red peppers ...now if onyl they were not as expensive.......every one that we buy adds 2+ bucks to our bill.........well, who said good things in life came cheap :((((
Thanks for the recipes and sumptuous images too.......
Just found your blog thru the FFF list! Your chickpeas look amazing! Congrats!
Wow those look tasty! And yes, I have two cans of chick peas in the pantry right now.
ur so much like me...i do the same at the lib...lol
came here thru FFF
congratulations! :)
visiting your blog after so many days....i also made (rather discovered) the ever famous rava idlis.....arent they the yummiest. somehow since my college days in the US, i am totally put off by chickpeas (the result of having eaten too many lunches and dinner consisting of the same:(your mango burfis look delicious.
Nice blog and recipes!
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These chickpeas look divine- and thanks for the book recommendations. I've fallen behind quite a bit on my Indian-author reading in recent years, and I've got to catch up.
they look so spicy and delicious.
so, when are you publishing your book?
And I can't believe this... yesterday S asked me if there was anyway I could jazz up sundal... and I saw this here :-) Lovely. Bookmarked.
Great picture with beautiful dish!