Chickpea Mixed Vegetable Poriyal

This is an easy and rather mild South Indian chickpea and vegetable curry — at least according to my standards of mild as regular readers who visit this space know that I do enjoy fiery dishes. It is an ideal addition to meals anytime of year, a delicious solution for using up leftover vegetables, and if you happen to be having it on a winter day, an effective cure for those cold weather chills. This is my idea of comfort food.

Poriyal or palya are dry-textured vegetable curries that make for an elegant starter or side dish, usually tempered with aromatic seeds and spices. This one is rather substantial because of the addition of plump chickpeas and I served it as a main. All you need to balance out the meal are some savory rice and urad dal pancakes, or hot fresh cooked basmati rice and perhaps a lightly dressed leafy green salad and some pleasant background ambience to complete the experience.

Chickpea Mixed Vegetable Poriyal

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Cuisine: Indian
Published on January 18, 2013

Simple, nourishing and delicious lightly spiced chickpea and mixed vegetable curry

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 to 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans)
2 tablespoons oil or ghee
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 to 3 fresh chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sambar powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch of asafetida
4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
3/4 cup dried grated unsweetened coconut
a few handfuls of dried curry leaves, crumbled slightly
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 large potato, cut into 1-inch wedges or cubes
1 cup fresh cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
a few handfuls of green beans, chopped

Instructions:

Rinse the chickpeas and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and stir for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn grey and being to splutter and pop.
Add the chilies, sambar powder, chili powder, ground coriander, turmeric and asafetida, and continue to stir for another minute. Now add the tomatoes, coconut, curry leaves and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.
Now add the chopped vegetables, stir, and pour in the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes or so, adding a little water if it is too dry. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as desired. Serve hot with Indian flatbreads or steaming hot fresh cooked rice.

Makes 4 to 6 servings