Afghani-Inspired Delight
1 bag of fresh spinach (16 oz better, but I've done it with 10)
1 can of chickpeas (15 oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (~15 oz)
2 or 3 sweet potatoes, depending on size, diced into 1-inch cubes
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
dash or so of cinnamon, don't overdo it (this is what I think is Afghani tasting about it!)
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup dry rice, (real, not instant) cooked howe'ver you like ;-)
A friend of mine makes this and I really enjoy it, its so easy! It reminds me of some dishes I've had at Afghani restaurants (hence the name).
Steam the sweet potato until just tender, about 10 minutes or so.
In a wok, combine the tomatoes (not drained) and chickpeas (drained), and half can of water. Bring it to a simmer and then add spinach until it shrinks just a bit (just a couple minutes, you don't want to destroy it.)
Add the sweet potatoes and spices to the wok and stir to combine the flavors, let it simmer for a few minutes. I also like to let this sit a few minutes after cooking to let flavors mix. Serve over the rice.
Top each serving with several shakes of salt and pepper, to taste.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Quite good, and very healthy. The sweet potatoes really add a wonderful and different flavor. It does make up quite a bit, but it's nice to have on hand to warm up for a quick lunch.
Like others, I upped the spices, and used 3 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 dashes each of cayenne and cinnamon, and 4 minced garlic cloves.
this is delicious! i highly recommend it. this is the first time i've made it and i am really picky about spices and flavor. mine had plenty of flavor!!! i added garlic, two dashes of cayenne, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 5 teaspoons of curry, a small jalepeno pepper and added the whole bunch of green onions instead of just two. mine is very spicy and tasty, thanks for the recipe! :)>>>
This is a good dish, but not great. I doubled the spices, plus added garlic, cayenne, and a little garam marsala. I also added an extra can of chickpeas. I wish I had added the raisins, because that sounds like it would have really pulled the flavor together. I don't know what the dish is lacking, but it needs a little extra something. Howe'ver, I will say that it is extremely healthy, especially if served over brown rice!
Yeah, I agree. It is a dish that requires a little embellishment, but it is very easy to do so. I just add more garlic and a bit more cayenne and it's good enough for me.
My wife and I have taken to calling this dish "Monkey", howe'ver. Mostly to mess with our carnivorous friends.
This is a good dish, but not great. I doubled the spices, plus added garlic, cayenne, and a little garam marsala. I also added an extra can of chickpeas. I wish I had added the raisins, because that sounds like it would have really pulled the flavor together. I don't know what the dish is lacking, but it needs a little extra something. Howe'ver, I will say that it is extremely healthy, especially if served over brown rice!