Monday, August 22, 2011

Veg Roti - I Am Obsessed

Yikes! I just looked at my blog posts and realized that I'm becoming "Inconsistent Blogger Girl". Something I never wanted to become. I read a lot of veg blogs and nothing says "sad" like a neglected blog - last post, December 2010. Sad.

So, instead of waiting until I take the perfect picture, spell-checking the thing to death or attempt to limit my reckless use of exclamation points (!) - here is what I'm obsessed with lately. And by obsessed, I mean that this dish is in my refrigerator at all times and I start to sweat when the Tupperware is emptying and another batch is not yet on the stove.

Veg Roti

2 cans of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
15 baby carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 big bunch of Chinese Cabbage or spinach
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or grapeseed or canola)
1 can (yes, I said it!) of Madras curry sauce by Pataks
1 large Roti skin (if you're not in the Caribbean, a large tortilla is as close as you'll come)

First, I love making my own curry but Pataks is yummy, spicy, FAST and economical - not easy to come by on Barbados. Pataks makes a simmer sauce (too mild) and a paste (requires coconut milk) so I get the Madras sauce in a CAN! If I was making this for a dinner party, I would make my own curry but since I eat this by the bowlful daily - hand me the can opener please.

Heat up the oil in a large pot with lid. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and smell fantastic.

Add the onions and carrots and push around the pan for a couple of minutes. Next, add the chinese cabbage or fresh spinach and garlic. Allow the cabbage/spinach to wilt down a bit. Note: Do not use frozen spinach - this dish needs something fresh that "holds up" - frozen spinach becomes an unappetizing mushfest.

Last - add the chickpeas, Madras sauce and then a can of water - making sure to get all the Madras out of the can.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. It smells wonderful. Light some incense and you've got Instant Ashram!

Roti skins or tortillas are best when heated up on a gas stove burner. Let the skin puff up and get little char marks. Use a non-stick pan to heat the skin if you have electric. Microwave is a no-no. Heap a coffee cup amount of the chickpeas into the toasted roti skin, wrap it up with love and enjoy!

I like to top my Veg Roti will a little jarred crushed peppers - because hot is never enough. Also, roti skins are pretty high in calories so I limit the skins to one a day - I cannot say the same about the coffee cup full of the chickpeas!
See! A perfectly un-perfect picture of my chickpeas & crushed peppers. I'm out of roti skins... sad.

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