Nigel Slater's Chickpeas with Pumpkin, Lemongrass and Coriander

Name: Nigel Slater's Chickpeas with Pumpkin, Lemongrass and Coriander
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 200g dried chickpeas, soaked in mineral water for several hours; 2 medium onions; 2 tbsp groundnut oil; 4 cloves garlic; thumb-sized ginger; 3 large stalks lemongrass; 2 tsps ground coriander; 2 tsps ground tumeric; 6 green cardamoms; 2 hot red chillies; 500g pumpkin peeled and seeded; 250ml vegetable stock; 400ml coconut milk; 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds; handful coriander leaves; cooked basmati rice for 4-6 people; 2 limes, halved

Over a year ago 12,202 views

Cook: 90 mins

Main Course

Ingredients

200g dried chickpeas, soaked in mineral water for several hours
2 medium onions
2 tbsp groundnut oil
4 cloves garlic
thumb-sized ginger
3 large stalks lemongrass
2 tsps ground coriander
2 tsps ground tumeric
6 green cardamoms
2 hot red chillies
500g pumpkin peeled and seeded
250ml vegetable stock
400ml coconut milk
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
handful coriander leaves
cooked basmati rice for 4-6 people
2 limes, halved

Accompaniment

Description

Sweet squashes marry well with the earthy flavour of beans and lentils.

Method

1
Drain the chickpeas and bring them to the boil in deep, unsalted water. Let them simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, till tender.
Peel the onions and chop them quite finely. Pour the oil into a deep casserole and add the onions, letting them cook over a moderate heat till soft and translucent. Meanwhile, peel the garlic and the ginger, remove any tough leaves from the lemongrass, then make all into a rough paste in a food processor. Stir into the softened onions and continue to cook. Add the ground coriander and turmeric, then lightly crush the seeds of the green cardamoms and deseed and finely chop the fresh chillies before stirring them in.
Keep the heat fairly low and on no account allow the ingredients to brown.
Chop the pumpkin into large chunks, though no larger than you would like to put in your mouth, then add to the pan, along with the drained cooked chickpeas and the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and continue to cook at a gentle bubble till the pumpkin is tender. Stop as soon as the flesh is yielding to the point of a knife, you don’t want it to collapse.
Stir in the coconut milk and continue to simmer. Put a splash of oil into a nonstick pan and tip in the yellow mustard seeds. As soon as they start to pop, add them to the pumpkin together with the coriander leaves. Serve with the rice and the lime halves, ready to squeeze over at the last minute.