Curried Chickpea and Carrot Stew
Back when I was in second grade I had to do a school project on India. I promise you this isn’t just a trip down memory lane, I’m taking you back to my second grade schoolwork for a reason… I don’t remember the details of the project so much, but what I do remember is that my parents took me all over Miami, searching high and low for all things Indian to report back to my class about. We went to the Metro Zoo, what is now called Zoo Miami, to learn about Bengal tigers. We went to a clothing store where my parents recorded me being wrapped in traditional garb. And we also went to an Indian restaurant to learn about and sample the cuisine. I don’t remember the restaurant, or the food, but what I do remember is that it was my first time trying Indian food and my excitement about tasting and enjoying something new. And ever since then I’ve been a huge fan of the flavors in Indian cuisine.
I think the great thing about Indian inspired dishes, like this one, especially for kids—I was about 7 years old at the time of this project—is that the food is filled with so much flavor and spice, but without the heat. The spices are mild enough to be enjoyed by everyone, but nevertheless have such dynamic flavor.
This is a really cozy and hearty dish with a ton of warm flavors. The carrots and coconut milk add an element of sweetness to the dish that balances perfectly with the savory potatoes and chick peas and all the layers of spice. It’s even more delicious when served over some fragrant jasmine rice.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 mins. | 25 mins. | 35 mins. |
Ingredients:
- 3 medium gold potatoes
- 3 large carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves
- 1 ½ cups cooked chick pea
Directions:
- Peel potatoes and carrots and dice them into uniform chunks, approximately half an inch in size.
- Heat olive oil over low to medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add potatoes and carrots to the Dutch oven, along with ginger, curry, turmeric, ground mustard, garlic, coriander, nutmeg and cumin. Sautee for just a few minutes to bring out the flavor of the spices and vegetables.
- Add coconut milk, Dijon mustard and sage leaves to the Dutch oven. Stir until everything is incorporated. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 25 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are tender. Stir in cooked chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, uncover and remove sage leaves.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Serving Suggestion:
Serve over jasmine rice!
Toddler Tip:
There are lots and lots of spices that go into this dish! Let your toddler be the designated spice-sprinkler. A curry dish might be a challenging one to introduce to a toddler, but letting them be involved in its prepartion with only encourage them to try it!
