Bio-wise and otherwise

A simple Sunday Brunch

My Sunday brunches are usually very thought-provoking.  Between my deep breathing Pranayams and  bouts of writing, I take time to check out the kitchen shelves.

This weekend, I had a large eggplant staring back at me from the fridge. It was a wonderful purple, turgid, completely clear of blemishes. In the prime of youth, so to speak.

To its right was a wedge of pumpkin. Bright orange, simply waiting to be cooked. 

Then I saw this bag of wonderful chickpeas on the kitchen shelf. Like Basmati rice, chickpeas are often packaged in nice cloth bags, a pretty sight indeed.

So upon seeing these ingredients, I thought to myself, 'why not cook them together in a simple yet effective manner?'

Quite often potato is added to chickpea curry since it lends volume and taste to this rich dish.
But pumpkin is more nutritious than potato- with a store of Vitamin A. Pumpkins are very low in calories and are rich in potassium as well.

Eggplant by itself can be a bit too tangy in taste. Moreover, it is known to cause allergies. So when cooked in modest amounts, just lending a flavor, it is a great veggie. Moreover, Eggplant has a host of vitamins and is a good source of fibre.

Chickpeas, are, well, just  fabulous to cook and eat. When soaked overnight, they become tender and swollen and sweet. Chickpeas are rich in folate and also in fibre. Boiled chickpeas can be eaten plain and still delight the palate.

You can now begin to  imagine how this combo curry would taste.

I found this recipe on the web. Just check it out, it's great. I'm going to replace ghee (clarified butter) with oil, since it takes care of the cholesterol bit. Cauliflower is optional. So is garlic, since at home we go slow on this ingredient.

Pic acknowlegement: from the web 

Black pepper (scientific name: Piper nigrum) has replaced red chilli powder in this recipe. It is sooooo much better than red chilli on the stomach lining. It is used in many ayurvedic medicines and this regal spice has its reference in the Yajur Veda (an ancient book of the Hindus). Black pepper, along with ginger helps free flow of oxygen to the brain, helps enhance digestion and circulation and reduces joint pain.

You can eat this curry with Basmati rice. Or you can eat it with rotis (home-made Indian  'bread'). If you are in no mood to cook, then simply eat it with wholewheat bread. Alongside, have a simple salad of sliced cucumber, tomatos and onions.

Now that I have diced the veggies, sorted the spices in tiny bowls, put chickpeas on the boil, it's time to sit in my favorite cross-legged position and reach out for the comic strips.

Namaste!

Pic acknowledgement: Blackpepper land

Posted at 10:00PM Sep 08, 2007 by Manju in Mystic masala  |