Sundays at Moosewood-Inspired Chick Pea Curry

Today's offering is adapted from the "spicy chick peas" in Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. To be absolutely truthful, they're not really very spicy, but that's fine; the tart tamarind and the slightly sweet tomato sauce make a nice contrast that's pleasing to a wide variety of palates (read: kid friendly). My main changes were the addition of a few extra spices, the substitution of coconut oil for the ghee or canola called for in the prototype, and some fresh cilantro stirred in at the end for a "green" note. 

I also found  - as with many recipes I've made during this project - that this dish took a lot longer to cook than the 20-30 minutes specified. (Maybe it's a hippie thing; just let the food hang out and do what it needs to?) But no matter: the finished product was well worth the wait, and it made amazing leftovers. Served with brown saffron rice, mashed sweet potatoes, and noochy kale, this made a particularly satisfying and healthy dinner.

Moosewood-Inspired Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
~ 1 cup hot vegetable broth
~ 4 tsp. tamarind paste
~ 1 tbsp. coconut oil
~ 1 large onion, diced
~ 6 cloves garlic, minced
~ 2 tbsp. grated ginger
~ 1 14 oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes w/chilies
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, chili powder
~ 1/2 tsp. each: coriander, cayenne
~ 3 14 oz. cans chickpeas, drained
~ 1 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions
~ Combine the hot vegetable broth with the tamarind paste and set aside.
~ In a large, deep skillet, melt the coconut oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until softened but not browned.
~ Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two before adding the tomatoes and dry seasonings. Mix thoroughly and continue cooking another 10-12 minutes.
~ Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, and puree with an immersion blender (or in a food processor) until smooth.
~ Return the sauce to medium-high heat; add the chickpeas and the broth/tamarind paste mixture and stir to coat.
~ Bring just to a boil, and lower the heat to simmer. Allow to cook for about 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to a thick glaze. (Your mileage may vary, so just keep an eye on it.)
~ Stir in the chopped cilantro, remove from heat, and serve with rice and hot chutney.