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The following recipe for Chickpea and Vegetable Curry was sent to us by Debra from Missouri.  She writes:

“I hope this encourages you to expand your recipe repertoire. Adding new spices and recipes can go a long way to avoiding boredom at mealtime when you are eating from the [storage food] larder.”

Ingredients

• Chickpeas – either a 15 oz can drain and rinsed, or a heaping one half cup of dried beans soaked overnight and cooked for approximately 1 hour (in unsalted water) if you don’t like or don’t have chickpeas you can use an equal amount of any other protein you desire (chicken, tofu, lamb, fish, etc.).
• Tomatoes – either a 14 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain) or 1 ½ cups fresh tomatoes or 1/3 cup of your home dehydrated tomato slices rehydrated by covering with boiling water and letting sit for 15 minutes.
• Vegetables – 1 cup cut up in small pieces- I used fresh broccoli spears, but use what you have and what you like (suggestions – onions, peas, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus).
• Milk – 1 ¼ cup – I used coconut milk powder reconstituted, you can use dairy milk, almond milk, any other nut milk or canned coconut milk. Be creative, use what you have.
• Broth – 1/3 cup, I used vegetable broth, but you can use chicken broth or use a bullion cube in 1/3 cup water (in a pinch you could just use water).
• Sweetener – 2-3 teaspoons, I used maple syrup because that is what I had. You can use agave nectar, sugar, honey … whatever you have on hand.
• Oil – I used Coconut (MCT) Oil, but any oil works
• Spices – You need these to make this taste right – so stock up while you can:
  4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed, skin removed, and chopped finely
  1 tablespoon ginger grated (fresh, paste or frozen) or ¼ teaspoon dry powdered ginger
  1 tablespoon curry powder
  Crushed red pepper – I used ½ teaspoon, but if you need to make it kid friendly just omit, if you like your mouth on fire … dump in what you want to. Optional – if you have fresh jalapenos (or any hot pepper) from your garden you can chop one up and add it
  Salt – to taste at the end

Directions

1. First prepare your rice or other starch according to the package or recipe instructions, while it is cooking you can make the curry.
2. Start making the curry:Add your oil to a large skillet and turn on the heat.Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and sauté for a minute until fragrant.Add the curry powder and red pepper flacks, stir for another minute (don’t let this burn).Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the milk, simmer over low heat for 6-10 minutes to cook the tomatoes and veggies, stirring occasionally. Test with a fork to make sure you like the texture. If you are using a vegetable that takes longer to cook, make sure to parboil them first.Add the milk and simmer for another 6-10 minutes to thicken to your liking. Don’t worry if you let it get too thick, just add a bit of water or broth and heat through.

SERVING

Here are some options for companion foods and serving:

Serve over rice or another starch dish. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges.

Rice – Curry is typically served with rice, but you can use any starch you like. My step brother had a bumper crop of sweet potatoes last fall, I have a bushel basket wrapped in newspaper in the garage. I boiled a couple of them, peeled off the skin, cubed them, sauteed them in some oil to get them a bit crispy and served the curry over that.
Naan Bread – another traditional addition (simple to make, lots of recipes out there)
Fresh Cilantro (in season) – this herb is easy to grow in a window pot, garden spot or on your patio. I urge you to get the seeds and plant it soon so you will have it on hand.
Lime – quartered into wedges to serve with the curry to be squeezed on the dish
Chutney – another traditional way to add flavor to the finished dish, lot’s of recipes out there that you can make at home and preserve for later in jars.

Debra’s Remarks on Food STORAGE Creativity

“As you are thinking about topping up or even starting your prepping pantry, I wanted to share an option that uses things typically found in your larder and supplemented by what you can grow in your garden. This recipe is also intended to remind you not to forget to add spices to your preps. The inspiration for this recipe comes from the British WW2 Ministry of Food Leaflet #11 “What’s Left in The Larder” which featured a fish and vegetable curry.

Remember to be creative with your recipes, because in times of scarcity you may not have everything you need. This savory slightly sweet version features chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) instead of fish. Chickpeas are full of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. According to the USDA a one quarter cup serving of chickpeas contains 182 calories, 30 g of carbs, 10 grams of protein, Vitamins C & B6, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium.

PS: Just a word of about kindness, some people are extremely uncomfortable trying new things (my grandsons for example) … if you decide to make this be sure to reduce the measurements to get the correct portions and provide an alternate entrée for your picky eaters.”

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!