Butter Chick(en)pea

I got to work early this morning. Decided to have breakfast at my desk. Curry and potatoes. I’m trying out his new thing where I eat only 1 meal a day and maybe a fruit snack or something in-between.

The discussions around the office this morning where related to a young lady who was killed at the hands of her partner. With comments like this floating around:

“So I hate to say this, but have you seen the pictures of that girl, she looks much older, pulling duck faces and dressing inappropriately”

Which got the reply:

“There’s always a reason”

Comments like this aren’t uncommon when females are brutally murdered, raped or maimed. People start looking at them with a critical eye, trying to find some reason that they might be responsible for their own demise. As though, somehow, murder, rape and acid attacks are less severe if someone was “asking for it”. Similar comments where expressed last week when a woman was raped and murdered in Princess Park Melbourne.

“Why was she walking on her own, how irresponsible”.

These might not be the sentiments of the news coverage or the people who work in protective industries, but it is the sentiments I hear from everyday people. Anyway, call it out.

We can’t force progress. Attitudes, ignorance and opinions change with time and exposure. What we can do is warm our souls and bellies with yummy food. This Butter Chick(en)pea was really great even though the pics make it look a little gluggish. 🙂 

Sauce Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 large brown onion (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons of chopped ginger
• 3 tablespoons of minced garlic (or a few cloves crushed)
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 5 cardamon pods
• 1 tin of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 cup of cashews (soaked and blended to create a rough paste)
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 2 cups of any chopped veg you like (I used zucchini)

Let’s Cook!

• Heat the oil in a pan, once hot saute the onion until it is soft. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute more.
• Next add all the spices, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili and cardamon pods, stir until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes and water. Scrape the pan to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom. bring to the boil then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pour all the ingredients into a blender from the pan, with the cashews and blend until smooth.
• Return the blended sauce to the pan, add the coconut milk, and sugar and chickpeas and veg, heat till happy with the state of veg.. Serve! 

Katri x