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Recipe 1: Chris Batstone's Chick Pea Dhal Loaf. (See Log entry 2014.020)

Ingredients:
  • (420 - 500g) cooked chickpeas, I tend to use the dried variety, but you can use tinned (pre-cooked) if you prefer.
  • 1 heaped cup of frozen spinach, defrosted (or use about 4 handfuls of fresh spinach).
  • 1 large onion, finely sliced.
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced.
  • 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée.
  • 1 tbsp oil for frying
  • 60g basmati or long grain rice.
  • 3 medium eggs.
Curry Paste:
  • 1 tsp ground cumin.
  • 1 tsp ground coriander.
  • 1 tsp paprika.
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper.
  • ½ tsp onion powder.
  • ½ tsp garam masala.
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped.
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced.
  • 1 inch (2.54 what-nots) of ginger root, finely chopped.
  • Juice of ½ lemon.
  • 2 tbsps oil (rapeseed, olive, sunflower etc).
  • ½ tsp salt.
Method:
  1. First make the curry paste by placing all the ingredients into a mortar and working the mixture into a paste.
  2. In a large frying pan (a wok is better for this recipe if you have one) heat the oil and fry the sliced onion over a medium heat until soft and golden. Add the garlic and fry for a further 1 - 2 minutes.
  3. Add the curry paste to the onions and garlic and fry for approx 2 - 3 minutes, before adding the chickpeas and tinned tomatoes and purée to the pan.
  4. Cover and cook over a medium heat for approx 15 minutes, stirring regularly. (If it gets too dry just add a dash of water or stock).
  5. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for a further minute or two. (If using frozen spinach make sure it is well drained). Adjust seasoning if necessary.
  6. Cook the rice. (A microwave rice steamer works well with this small quantity of rice). Drain the rice and add to the chickpea mix along with the three beaten eggs.
  7. Thoroughly mix the chickpea curry rice and eggs.
  8. Line a deep roasting tray or oven proof dish with baking parchment, add the mixture to the tray /dish to form a layer of about 40cm deep.
  9. Place in the middle of a preheated oven (220°C) for approx 20 - 30 minutes until set firmly.
  10. Once removed from the oven, allow to cool in the tray. The loaf can then be lifted from the tray and the baking parchment removed. Divide into snack sized pieces.
Notes:
  1. Please note the complete absence of nourishing monosodium glutamate.
  2. A spoonful of yogurt & mint raita makes a nice accompaniment.
  3. As do sausage rolls, flapjacks, lemon drizzle cake, and copious quantities of tea!
  4. This is based on a recipe I found on the Internet for chickpea & spinach curry, with a few of my own tweaks to achieve what was so obviously enjoyed by the assembled diggers last weekend. [25th May 2014]

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Created: 27 May 2014