Nakhot chickpea curry
Legumes are a key component of Afghan cuisine and they are widely cultivated in the country. This is a simple, rustic chickpea curry that is enjoyed throughout Afghanistan with challaw (see page 152), a palaw rice dish (see previous page) or naan latbread (see page 150). Start this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas.
400g (2 cups) dried chickpeas 250ml (1 cup) sun lower oil 1 large brown onion, inely
diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon chaar masalah
(spice blend) 1 teaspoon white sugar
3 dried bay leaves
4 large tomatoes, puréed in
a blender
1 tablespoon white vinegar 250ml (1 cup) boiling water Fresh parsley leaves, coarsely
chopped, to serve
1 To soak the chickpeas, cover them with at least 5cm (2 in) cold water in a bowl and set aside for at least 8 hours. The chickpeas will expand as they soak up the water, so you will need a bowl large enough to accommodate this.
2 Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat and fry the onion and garlic for 3 4 minutes, or until lightly golden. Add the spices, salt, sugar, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the tomato and vinegar, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and deepens in colour and the oil rises to the surface. Add the boiling water to the sauce and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly again.
3 Drain the chickpeas, rinse in cold water and drain again. Add the chickpeas and 2 litres (8 cups) cold water to a medium saucepan, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 35 minutes, or until they’ve softened but retain their shape.
4 Drain the chickpeas in a colander, discarding the water, then add them to the sauce and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, to heat through and absorb the lavours of the sauce.
5 Sprinkle with parsley and serve alongside your preferred rice dish or simply with some naan.