Chickpeas and Vegetable Madras

This is from a vegetarian cookbook that is a cult classic in my extended family–although it is out of print and otherwise seems to have been forgotten. All my siblings and my parents have a copy of Carol Gelles’s Wholesome Harvest. My grandmother (Z”L) loved the soup recipes.

Anyway, I have neglected it of late. My sister was telling me about this soup, Harirah, that she was making, and when I asked where she got the recipe, she said: “Wholesome Harvest!” She also made a sweet potato red lentil soup recently from the book. So, I took a look at the book and made my modified version of the Cabbage Soup (which my husband loves) and a big pot of vegetable stew.

I have modified the recipe a bit. Here it is with my changes:

Chickpeas and Vegetable Madras
Adapted from Wholesome Harvest
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or you can cook 3/4 cup dried chickpeas, in which case you will need to pre-soak the beans and cook the dish much longer)
3 Tbl. ghee or oil (I used olive oil)
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 6 ounces)
1 Tbl. minced fresh ginger (I was out, and used some dried ginger, but the dish could use the bite of fresh ginger)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbl. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. red pepper (I just used a pinch)
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sliced carrot (6 ounces)
1 cup peas
1/2 cup soy milk (or dairy milk–I used some kefir and added it at the very end of cooking)
2 Tbl. coriander (left out)
3/4 tsp. salt

Saute the onion, ginger, garlic, and cabbage until softened. Stir in the spices, Add the chickpeas and water. If the chickpeas are dried, you will need to cook the mixture for about 2 hours, adding water as needed. If the chickpeas are canned, proceed to add the rest of the vegetables (except the peas), and simmer for 40 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. I added salt, a pinch of Hawaijj and some ground black pepper. At the end of cooking, when everything is nice and soft, add in the peas and cook through. I spooned some yoghurt over the dish right before serving, an it added the right tangy touch. I think that a little lemon juice would work well too.

Tags: beans, curry, vegan, vegetable stew, Vegetables, vegetarian