Bananafish & Aloo Chana for Nikkie

I was reading something Paul wrote and it made me go out to the livingroom searching for my books.  

I went out searching for my Salinger and realized we had no good way of organzing anything.  I had to remember – visually- what the books looked like.   Happily, Nine Stories looks like Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zoey and everything I’ve ever bought that he wrote:  Thin white volumes, with rainbow detail.

I found them, but sadly, I haven’t looked at these books in  years.  Nine Stories deserves a re-read.  As do the rest.

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I made some food last night and it was good.  To share:

ALOO CHANA (for Nikkie)

-2 cups cooked rice
-1/2 cup frozen peas

-1 large red onion chopped large
-3 cloves garlic minced
-1-2 serrano peppers chopped

-2TB curry powder
-1tsp allspice (*if you have it)
-1tsp black pepper
-2TB oil or ghee

-3-4 red potatoes, peeled and chopped into inch-size pieces
-1 can chickpeas, drained
-1 LARGE can chopped tomatoes

-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a large sauce pan, heat the 2TB of ghee or oil over medium-high heat.  Add the spices and mix until pastey.

2. Add onion and pepper and after a few minutes, add garlic and reduce to medium heat.  Sautee for a  minute or two.

3. Add potatoes and sautee for 5 minutes.

4. Add chickpeas and sautee for 5 minutes.  Add a bit of water if dry.

5. Add canned tomatoes and all the juice. Stir and lower heat.  If not covered, add a cup of water.

6. Cover and let cook for 30-35 minutes.  Stir occasionally. (check after 10 minutes…etc.)

7. Put peas in the microwave for 3 minutes – covered in water.  Drain.  Add to rice.

8. Check the potatoes/chickepeas and make sure they are cooked through – nice and soft.  If not – cook for 5-10 minutes longer.

9. Dish out rice/peas and enough potatoes/chickpeas/sauce.  Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

Serves 4-6.

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