Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry

Happy November!

It's officially my favorite time of the fall/winter season- Thanksgiving (and my birthday) is just around the corner!

And I may or may not be listening to Christmas music right now...

I know, I know, but this time only lasts for a few months, so I have to make the most of it!

Okay, so to go with my favorite time of the year, I thought I'd share my all time favorite type of food, not only to cook, but also to eat.

If you know me really well, you've probably already guessed it, but for those who don't it's by far anything Indian/Moroccan or Thai inspired. 

The best part of cooking to me, is getting to play around with spices and I've always been such a big fan of turmeric, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, mint, and so on, which are some of the most prevalent spices in this sort of cooking.

After Pad Thai, I'd have to go with curries as my second favorite dish. There's just something so comforting and warm about a big bowl of curried-anything. Seriously, I could eat it every day.

A couple of weeks ago, I whipped up this veggie curry for a quick lunch. It was just so good I had to make it again, and if you know me at all, you know I

never

remake dishes.

I absolutely love the way sweet potatoes work in this dish. They add a starchy/creaminess to the sauce and also help thicken it up a bit.

The carrot, mushrooms, and bell pepper are optional (everything else is a must) but I recommend adding them, just for a little textural contrast.

Chickpea and Sweet Potato Veggie Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant- peeled/cubed (about 1 1/2 in.)

• 1 large sweet potato- peeled/cubed (same size as eggplant)

• 3 large carrot sticks- peeled & cut into 1 inch long pieces

• 1 sweet onion- small dices

• 2 garlic cloves- minced

• 1 jalapeno- minced

• 1 red OR green bell pepper- thinly sliced strips

• 1 can light coconut milk

• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

• 5 large baby portobello mushrooms

• 1 1/2 tbs. yellow curry powder

• 1 tsp. turmeric

• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. salt & black pepper

• 1 tbs. soy sauce

• 1 tsp. chili garlic paste

• 1 tsp. fresh orange juice

• 1/2 orange (juice)

• 1 tbs. coconut oil

• 1 1/2 tbs. fresh basil- roughly chopped

• green onion & curry roasted (or plain) cashews to top

Bring a pot of water, covering the carrots and sweet potato, to a boil with a hearty sprinkling of salt, black pepper, basil, & oregano. Cook until almost cooked thoroughly. Drain & preserve 1 cup of the broth.

Sauté the onion, garlic, & jalapeño, in coconut oil over medium heat until caramelized and soft. Add  bell pepper, salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder and stir until combined. Let cook down until the bell pepper is slightly softened. Add eggplant, sweet potato, carrot, mushrooms, soy sauce, chili paste, and curry powder. Mix until everything is coated. Pour in coconut milk, 1/2 cup preserved broth water, and orange juice & zest. Stir and bring to a simmer. Let cook down for at least 10-15 minutes. Add in the fresh basil and more broth water if too thick. 

Serve over rice with fresh green onion & a sprinkle of cashews.