BSI Dinner: Chickpea and Kale Curry

For my BSI recipe entry, I basically took two recipes (one from Weight Watchers and one from Recipezaar), made variations using my preferences and ingredients on hand, and “created” my new recipe. Does that count? I hope so, because I don’t think I’m experienced enough of a cook to completely create recipes from my head. One day, though.

Chickpea and Kale Curry

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions (half a big boy)
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper (seeded if you’re a sissy you don’t like it hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 bunch kale (could substitute other greens), chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• 3 tbsp plain fat free yogurt

Directions:

• Coat a large nonstick skillet with oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until soft, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place coconut, cinnamon, cumin, curry powder, jalapeno, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender or food processor. Grind to a paste and set aside.
• Add tomatoes, kale, vegetable broth, and chickpeas to skillet; cook until kale is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in coconut mixture and yogurt.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5-7 minutes.
• Serves 4 as a side dish, 3 as a main dish. I had it with mini whole-wheat pitas, but brown rice or naan would be wonderful too.

Verdict? It was good! I forgot to add the yogurt at first, and when I remembered at the end, the whole dish really came together and there was more of a sauce. It was spicy but not too hot (in my opinion anyway. A normal person might not want to use hot curry powder like I do). It’s amazing how all the flavors blend together. I didn’t taste the coconut, or the cumin or cinnamon, because it all melded together into one yummy…curry! I bet it’ll be even better in a day or two.

(P.S. I know it’s not authentic. What exactly is a curry? Like, what makes an Indian dish “curry”? I know curry powder is a spice blend, but is there anything else?)

P.P.S. I got a blogger award! Mara at I Made Dinner is so freakin’ sweet, and a fellow MOT to boot. Can I give her the award back, or is it like tag in elementary school where tag-backs are clearly illegal? Anyway, in addition to Mara I’d like to pass on the love to a few awesome bloggers:

1. Kelly at Every Gym’s Nightmare. She is so funny, refreshingly honest, and gives great workout (and life) advice.
2. Lindsay at For the Love of Oats. Lindsay has been really nice to me as I get this blog started, and since she was one of the first bloggers I followed, I am always so honored when she reads my blog.
3. Roni of her three websites. I read all three (she also created a social networking site!), and I am so impressed by her weight-loss story, her recipes, and her blogging and web abilities. And she’s training for a marathon, which is pretty amazing.
4. Erin and Andrea at Care to Eat. Those girls seem like they have a lot of fun, in blogging and in life. They practically have their own language, which is totes awesome.

I could pick even more bloggers, but honestly, I’m tired and there’s a couch spot and Body of Lies in the DVD player waiting for me! (Oh, and a cute guy too…)