Chickpea and Rice Pilaf

The Chickpea Rice Pilaf can be a great main dish because it has plenty of protein and flavor to fill you up.

The next step is to to cook the rice for the pilaf so it's ready and waiting for you. I used a Brown Basmati rice. You can use the regular white Basmati rice as well. I recommend the Basmati rice because it doesn't stick and has a nutty flavor.

To give the rice some added flavor, I added half water and chicken broth as the liquid.  If you want to make this totally vegetarian you can just use water.

To get the aromatics ready for the pilaf you will need:

One large onion sliced or chopped
some curry leaves
1 tbs of cumin seeds
3-4 cloves
3-4 cardamom pods
1 tsp of ground turmeric
salt to taste
one cinnamon stick
1 tbs of grated garlic
1 tbs of grated ginger
1 tbs of red pepper flake (or to taste)
2 tsp of cumin powder

On medium flame, heat the oil and add the cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Fry in oil until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds.

 On medium flame, heat the oil and add the cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Fry in oil until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds.

Add turmeric, chili flake and saute'.

Add cumin powder and saute'.

Add two (15oz) cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed.

Add:
1 can of diced tomatoes,
2 tbs of lemon juice
1/4- 1/2 cup of water.

You only want a little bit of water to cook the ingredients through. You should turn up the heat to about a medium high on the stove so all the flavors have a time to cook. You should taste for salt here.

 Stir in the cooked basmati rice and mix. The rice should get evenly coated with the cumin/turmeric sauce.

Serves 4-6.

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