Chana Masala (Curried Chickpeas and Spinach)

It's still freezing. We're trapped beneath a winter inversion that keeps our valley skies gray and damp, and I can't seem to find socks thick enough to keep my feet warm. Definitely time to spice things up with a little Indian food. I had some garbanzo beans and spinach that I needed to use up, and this savory Punjabi dish was just the ticket. I don't remember where I found this recipe, but it's awesome. Serve it over rice, or be really authentic and scoop it up with chapatis.

*Note: This is a nonfat, medium-spice version. For richer and spicier options, see notes at the end.

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings (doubles, triples, etc., easily)

Chana Masala
Cooking spray
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, with liquid
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon curry powder**
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala***
1 large bunch spinach (about 2 cups)
Salt to taste

1. In a medium saucepan or skillet, saute the onion and garlic in cooking spray until the onion is soft and beginning to brown.
2. Add the beans in their liquid, lemon juice, and spices. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the beans are soft. (The sauce will cook down and thicken up.)
3. Turn off the heat, add the spinach to the pan, and cover again. Let the spinach wilt (about 3 minutes).
4. Add salt to taste. Be sure to taste it first, though -- the bean liquid makes it plenty salty enough for me.
5. Serve over rice, on its own, with Indian bread, as a side dish... It's terrific no matter how you eat it!

*Variations: For a richer dish, use 3 tablespoons of olive oil instead of cooking spray. For a spicier dish, add cayenne pepper to taste.

**Curry powder is available in the spice section at pretty much every store, but the quality and flavor varies tremendously. I made my own by mixing 2 tablespoons of cumin, 2 tablespoons of coriander, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.

***Garam masala is a North Indian spice mixture and should be available in the spice section of most grocery stores. Like most ground spices, it loses some of its flavor and aroma within a few months, so buy it in the smallest quantities possible unless you cook a lot of Indian food.

Avgolemono

The temperature here didn't quite hit freezing yesterday, which definitely called for soup. This is a traditional Greek soup (avgo = egg, lemono = lemon), but all of the ingredients can be purchased ready to dump in the pot. It has a light and delicate flavor - perfect for post-holiday penance. I might add just a dash of cumin next time.

The only tricky part is adding the egg. Just make sure you keep stirring, or you'll wind up with egg drop soup.

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Avgolemono
4 cups chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans (undrained)
1/3 cup white rice or orzo
1 cup shredded carrots
2 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 bag baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the broth, garbanzo beans with their liquid, and rice in a stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Stir in the carrots. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Cover and cook until the rice is tender but not mushy (about 10 minutes).
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the lemon juice, and stir to combine. It will be opaque, smooth, and not very eggy looking at this point.
4. This is the tricky part. Ladle 1/2 cup of the broth into the eggs. Stir immediately so the egg doesn't set. Pour the egg mixture into the soup pot, stirring continuously as you do.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and add the spinach. Stir until it wilts, which should be right away.
6. Serve immediately with some nice bread for dipping.
   

*Note: Like any soup with spinach, unless you like it slimy you might want to add spinach to individual bowls if it won't all be eaten at once.

Mostly Vegetarian Beanie Soup

When the weather turns cold enough to break out the sweaters, soup is the perfect meal. This is a simple, tasty soup I made up one night this week. Notes for vegetarian options at the bottom.

Start to finish: About 30 minutes
Yield: About 4 servings

Mostly Vegetarian Beanie Soup
2 leeks, white and light green portions only, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup baby carrots, quartered
7 oz smoked turkey sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces (half the package, use all if desired)
4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cumin
1 bag (6 oz) fresh baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a soup pot, saute leeks, garlic, carrots, and sausage in a little oil until the vegetables are slightly softened.
2. Add the broth, beans, bay leaves, and cumin. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove pan from heat, and discard bay leaves.
4. Stir in spinach, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Notes:
*For a vegetarian version, simply omit the sausage and use vegetable broth.
*If you won't be eating all of the soup right away, you might want to add the spinach to individual bowls of hot soup. That way, no matter when you eat it, the spinach is bright and fresh.