Chickpeas kerala – bookreview Under the Walnut Tree
Every once in a while I get my hands on a book that is just sooo full of fabulous recipes that I keep cooking from it. Under the Walnut Tree is just one such book. Written by mother and daughter, Anna and Fanny Bergenström, it focuses on fresh seasonal produce and is partially Scandinavian inspired and partially very international. Fanny, daughter of Anna and photographer Nisse Peterson, took all the photos of the book herself, a lot of them under their old walnut tree, which is what inspired the title of the book. Anna herself was the foodwriter for the leading daily newspaper in Sweden, the Dagens Nyheter and knows a thing or two about creating good and reliable recipes.
Combine the forces of these two ladies and you’re left with a beautiful book. A book that has made me, in a little over a week, make more then 6 recipes out of the book already and I have little post-its marking the pages where I definitely want to cook another recipe. In no particular order I have made this delicious Chickpea Kerala style, I have made lemoncurd, chicken salad from Laos, the lemony chickpea salad I shared with you before, lemoncream and coconut lime prawns (and the prawns are so good, that we’re eating them two days in a row now. Can’t resist!). Every single one of the recipes I made was absolutely delicious. Sure I changed a few things in the one I am sharing with you today, just because I didn’t have certain ingredients on hand, but in essence I followed the recipes.
What I also love about the book, is that it is divided across the different ingredients. Ingredients that Anna and Fanny love and use a lot, so it is easy to find out what is in season and just go to that particular chapter. Each chapter starts with an explanation on the ingredients or ingredient group and goes on to list a variety of recipes. And ultimately it is the recipes that did it for me. Try it out, I am sure you’re gonna love it!
Chickpeas kerala style
Ingredients
- 400 gr chickpeas from a tin
- 1 red chili
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons curry madras paste
- 300 ml coconut milk
- 100 g spinach
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 lime juiced
- pinch seasalt
- coriander leaves to serve
- 1 ginger about 3 cm piece
- Deseed and chop the chili. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel, gently bruise and chop the garlic. Do not use a garlic press or the taste will be too acrid. Also peel and grate the ginger.
- Put the chickpeas in a colander and rinse well, leave to drain.
- Gently saute the chili, onion, garlic and ginger in the oil. Add the curry paste and the coconut milk. Stir to combine and add the chickpeas in. Taste and if too spicy, add a bit more of the coconut milk. Bring the stew to the boil and simmer for a few minutes
- Fold in the (roughly chopped) spinach leaves and tomatoes. Simmer for just a few minutes more, and then season with lime juice and a touch of salt. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with basmati rice.
Disclaimer
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Under the Walnut Tree is published by Hardie Grant Books
