You can smell it in the air, strong & distinct and you know it must be Curry. Why do you smell this spice before anything else? Well, three main spices found in most curry powders are, turmeric, coriander, and cumin. If you have taken a whiff of cumin you know it is not the most fresh smell in the world. It kind of smells musty to me but it makes for damn good flavor. Anyway this combination of spices are the building blocks for such a strong flavor which makes for great sauces. Curry powder imparts flavor very quickly and can over power a dish if not treated with respect. You can find curry powder on the spice isle in you local super market. If you are seeking more exotic blend you can search international food stores. One of my favorite curry powders I purchased while I was in Jamaica in the street market. Jamaican spice has alot of Southern Asian influence in it. If you have had a Jamaican beef patty you have had curry. Nine times out of ten curry powder is mixed in the dough. But I am not here to talk about beef patties that's another blog another time. Lets talk lunch.
A weekend lunch does not have to be all brunch and BBQ in my book. Why not hookah's and curry? Ok maybe not the hookah but if you feel the mood why not? For fast lunch that will fill you I love curried brown rice. It's healthy and can be vegan friendly and jam packed with flavor.
Ingredients
1/2 onion chopped
1 large clove garlic minced
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1 can of chickpeas drained
2 bags of 10 minute brown rice cooked and drained
1 Tbs. curry powder
1 1/2 veggie stock
Heat your pan with light olive oil and add in your onions and peppers. You want the onions to become just translucent before adding in you chickpeas.
Allow the chick peas to toast just a little. From this point it goes quick. Mix in your garlic careful that it does not burn from the heat of the pan. From here you can stir in the curry powder and add the veggie stock.
Stir in you cooked rice before the liquid has reduced. If you would like to add in a meat substitute, once the liquid has reduced by about half, thats when you should mix it in. For my meat eaters I some time use ground turkey for some lean protein. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste. You now have and exotic flavorful dish that is no average Saturday Sunday brunch.
