Curried Chickpeas and Autumn Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 leeks, rinsed and sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 head broccoli, peeled and chopped (including top half of stem)
- 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inches ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme  or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons ground cayenne or dried red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 2 cups chickpeas cooked in 6 cups water
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water if needed
Instructions:
It is fun to infuse a familiar combination of fall vegetables with ethnic flavoring. Curries are a great way to create a delicious, fairly quick, and wholesome dish. This curry is a turmeric-based sauce infused with coconut milk, sweet apple juice, and fresh garlic and ginger. Feel free to substitute other seasonal vegetables like green beans, turnips, and beets..
- Heat the oils in a pan over medium heat, add the leeks and carrots, and sauté for about 3 minutes, until the leeks are soft.
- Add the eggplant, red pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, and ginger and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add the turmeric, cumin, chili powder, thyme, cayenne, salt, and apple juice and continue to cook on low heat for another 5 minutes, making sure the spices are well blended. Add the coconut milk and chickpeas and combine well. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
- If the curry seems too thick, thin it with stock as needed. Serve over cooked grain.