Garbanzo beans

Kale with Coconut and Garbanzo

By / Beans, Greens, Sides, Vegetarian / 1 Comment /

Winter is here and the hardy kale is one of the staples of the season. Among all the leafy vegetables, it occupies a unique place, in terms of history as well as nutritional benefits. And it has an enduring role in almost all cuisines of the world. Being very versatile, it can be made into a variety of soups, pies, salads, sides… a wide choice indeed!

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Kale is a member of the cabbage family, though the leaves do not form a head in the center. Other members of the family include broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and brussels sprouts.

The commonly available varieties are curly kale and plain kale, in a dark green to gray green colour. There are also varieties that come in white and purple colour, though not commonly available in the market.

Kale is one of the earliest known vegetable, having been cultivated for over 2,000 years. There is evidence of its consumption in Greece in 4th century BC. It was the most common green vegetable in Europe during the Middle Ages, mainly due to its ability to withstand the harsh winter weather.

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There are several indications of this leafy vegetable’s historical importance in current culture and usage. An example would be the prominence of the word ‘kale’ in Scottish phrases in use even today. A kaleyard or kailyard as it is spelt in Scottish, is a kitchen garden. And the phrase ‘off one’s kale’ actually means too ill to eat!

It is very easy to grow, being tolerant of extremes of weather. However, not all varieties of kale are edible as some are coarse and indigestible.

Kale is rich in vitamin C and K, and beta carotene, in addition to calcium. It is also known to possess anti-cancer and DNA repair properties, along with the ability to lower cholesterol.

The stems of the kale leaves are quite tough and need to be removed. Just cut along the two sides of the stem and to separate and discard it.

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The leaf part can then be sliced to the size you want.

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This dish is simplicity itself, yet tastes great, and is quick to make, with just a few ingredients.

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I have used curly kale and cooked it without adding any extra liquids, which is the best way to cook leafy green vegetables.

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You could easily substitute any other bean like cannellini or butter beans for the garbanzo beans. Best eaten with boiled or steamed rice.

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Did you know that the ornamental kale in white, pink and purple that you see decorating many a front garden is edible as well?

~Ria

Kale with Coconut and Garbanzo
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sides
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Ingredients
  • 1 bunch curly kale leaves
  • 1 cup heaped, cooked garbanzo beans
  • ½ cup scraped coconut (can be fresh or frozen thawed)
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • A pinch red chili flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Remove the central stem of the kale leaves. Gather the leaves together into small bunches and slice thinly.
  2. Cut the onion into ¼ inch wedges.
  3. Crush the garlic.
  4. In a large pan, heat the cooking oil.
  5. Add the onion wedges and sauté till they are transparent.
  6. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
  7. Add the kale leaves and stir. The leaves will start to wilt right away.
  8. When they are fully wilted, add the garbanzo beans.
  9. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and mix well.
  10. When all the liquid from the kale has evaporated, in two or three minutes, add the coconut (and the chili flakes, if using) and mix.
  11. Remove from heat and serve right away, as lunch or a side to dinner.

 

Moroccan Wild Rice Salad

By / Grains, Greens, Salad / Leave a Comment /

A salad that is full of flavor and a combination of healthy ingredients… at the same time filling enough that you won’t be looking for something to eat in 45 minutes! That is what this Moroccan wild rice salad is! Starting with a base of varieties wild rice, it goes on to build up the goodness with garbanzo beans, vegetables, dry fruits and nuts. A generous dressing that combines multiple flavors completes the dish to end up with a complex flavourful, and satisfying meal in itself!
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I had bought this bag of wild rice mix, consisting of red, black and brown rices. Since then, it has become a sort of go-to ingredient to me for adding heft to simple salads. This salad started the same way, but turned into something that was much more interesting than a simple salad.
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A rice and beans combination is always a good base to start. And again, I went with my go-to beans variety… the garbanzo beans. For vegetables, I chose what came in handy – zucchini, peppers, tomato and red onion. Unfortunately, I only had green peppers in the refrigerator, but am sure the use of multi-hued peppers would have looked better. Dried apricots and raisins add a touch of sweetness to the mix.
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This theme of tartness and sweetness is repeated in the dressing too… with rice vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. And soy sauce to flavor the base.

However, the dry spices used in the dressing are the key to the smoky, zesty flavour of the whole dish, along with a bunch of cilantro leaves that add a tangy freshness. These spice powders are dry roasted to bring out their fragrance.
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Though the dish has a longish ingredient list, the process is quite simple.

Mix all the chopped up vegetables and dried fruits with cilantro and the beans.
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Cook the rice with the soy sauce.
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Mix together the dressing ingredients.
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Add the rice and vegetable-beans mixture to the dressing.
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Garnish with almond slices, and the salad is ready to go!
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Looks pretty when served on a bed of lettuce leaves with wedges of lemon.
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This keeps very well in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Only, remember to bring it to room temperature before serving.

 

~Ria

Moroccan Wild Rice Salad
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Salad
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup mixed wild rice
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 green or yellow zucchini
  • 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, from a can
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 tomato
  • ½ red onion
  • ½ cup dried apricots
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup almond slices and1 lemon, to garnish
  • Lettuce leaves, to serve
  • Salt to taste
Directions
  1. Cut the zucchini into bite sized pieces.
  2. Cook the wild rice, according to package instructions, along with the soy sauce and salt to taste.
  3. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and place the zucchini pieces on top of the rice. Cover the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Thinly slice the red onion, pepper and tomato.
  5. Slice the apricots thinly.
  6. Chop the cilantro.
  7. Mix together the vegetables, garbanzo beans, sliced apricots, raisins, and chopped cilantro.
  8. Set a frying pan on low heat and dry roast the coriander powder for 1 minute.
  9. Add the turmeric powder and continue roasting for another minute.
  10. Add the curry powder and chili powder and remove from the heat and keep stirring till cool.
  11. In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar, lemon juice and honey.
  12. Add the roasted powders and mix well to make the dressing.
  13. Add the cooked rice to the dressing. Mix well.
  14. Add the vegetables-beans-fruits-cilantro combination and mix well.
  15. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves, garnished with almond sliced and lemon wedges.