tagged ‘chickpeas’

Baked chickpeas with capers, olives & orange

in Savoury, Taste -
These simple and delicious baked chickpeas with capers, olives & orange only need friends to share with and lots of crusty bread. 
Baked chickpeas with capers, olives & orange
Of all pulses, chickpeas are easily my favourites. Their smooth taste makes them irresistibly versatile and a great addition to so many dishes from silky hummus and veggie burgers to chunky soups and fragrant curries. Possibly my favourite way to cook them has been tossing them with olive oil, lots of spices and herbs and cook until very crispy and utterly irresistible. Like so, they add texture and lots of flavour to fried eggs and veggie wraps- though to be honest, I mostly just eat them straight from the pan, while they are still almost too hot to touch.

[READ MORE]

Chickpea & red pepper coconut curry

in Savoury, Taste -

A mildly spicy vegetarian chickpea & red pepper coconut curry is full of fragrant spices, and finished off with fresh coriander and lime juice.

Chickpea & red pepper coconut curry

There’s few smells that enchant me as much as curry spices, cooking away along with chopped onion and garlic. It’s a strong, bold scent, never overwhelming though, but utterly satisfying. My knowledge of curries is still quite limited, yet that smell alone is incentive enough for me to learn more, experiment more, cook more, discover more, enjoy more. For the time being, my quite timid efforts focus on flavours which are anything but simple, yet are starting to feel familiar. [READ MORE]

Vegetable couscous with crunchy sumac chickpeas

in Savoury, Taste -

Vegetable couscous with crunchy sumac chickpeas

Probably my favourite way to come up with dishes is by making use of ingredients I already have in hand. While I’m very focused when I prep and cook, before I’m ready to get in the kitchen, I’m often found in a super enthusiastic, semi-chaotic, ultimately exhausting state: fresh produce, pretty Pinterest photos, new techniques, ideas from friends- you name it, they all to blame. When however I am trying to come up with an easy lunch or dinner recipe on the spot and having to rely on what’s available right there, right now, that’s often when more concrete, realistic inspiration strikes. Limited to specific ingredients and with the a little help from fresh herbs and spices, I’m inspired to combine everyday staples in new ways. The result is not always a showstopper (hell, sometimes it’s not even edible), but sometimes… sometimes it ends up becoming your new favourite dish, like this vegetable couscous with crunchy sumac chickpeas. [READ MORE]

Dinner party appetiser: hummus & mini flatbreads

in Small bites, Taste -

Hummus-620-5

Appetisers are my favourite thing to prep for a dinner party; they can be as simple as the hummus featured here- or even a little different, such as this fragrant quince paste, perfectly paired with cheese. You don’t have to go all out on appetisers; make sure there’s enough for your guests to nibble on while enjoying some drinks and get in the mood for dinner and plate them in a simple, yet appealing way to set the tone for the rest of the night. [READ MORE]

More chickpea love: veggie burgers with quinoa, kale & red pepper

in Savoury, Taste -

VeggieBurger-620-4

Even though I eat meat quite rarely, I’m always up for a good burger (as I’ve previously and inappropriately mentioned). I’m not as devoted as M, who’s tried almost every good burger joint in town and has described and rated his experiences in excruciating detail, but whenever I’m given the opportunity to dig in a juicy, medium-rare burger, I’ll take it- nay, I’ll grab it! [READ MORE]

Chickpea, fennel & chorizo chunky soup

in Savoury, Taste -

ChickpearFennelChorizoSoup-1

I’ve been on a major fennel kick lately (evidently). I buy a fennel bulb almost every time I do my groceries shopping- and last time I was at the supermarket and could not find any, I was almost devastated (seriously; I must have asked at least three members of the staff- I looked so desperate and annoying, one of them even employed two of his co-workers to go look if there was any left at the back, while consolidating me and suggesting other vegetables instead. I swear, no person has ever waved at me so enthusiastically when I was leaving the store.) [READ MORE]