Serves 4
The Hot Flash Diet TM recipe for January 2024 has been adapted from a recipe by Alison Roman for the New York Times. This version uses laughably small amounts of curry compared to most recipes, but for novices, it might be a nice introduction to curries. Curry has a very “warm” thermal property according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, but recipe has an overall thermal property of “neutral” to slightly “warm” due to its choice of “cooler” vegetables. It is best eaten in cooler months since it might provoke hot flashes in warmer months.
2 TBSP avocado oil
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
½ onion, coarsely chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled, and grated or finely chopped, or ¼ tsp dried ginger (opt.)
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1-15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1-15 oz. can of low fat or full fat coconut milk for cooking
1 tsp curry powder (more if it’s winter)
¾ tsp sea salt
½ tsp turmeric
½ to 1 tsp dried mint
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups chopped spinach, Swiss chard, or arugula, or chopped collard greens (can be frozen)
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¼ cup vegetable broth or water (if needed)
1 potato, peeled and cut into chunks (opt.)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced (opt.)
Accompaniments at the table:
Basmati or other long grain rice
Yogurt or labneh
Fresh mint leaves, chopped
Shredded unsweetened coconut
Extra curry powder or black or red pepper for your family
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Start cooking the rice. Don’t be like me and forget.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the onions first, stirring frequently for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped ginger once the onions become translucent.
Add the chickpeas to the pan along with the coconut milk and broth. Season with the turmeric, curry powder, salt, and mint. Crush about one-third to one-half of the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork. This will help the sauce to thicken. Simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavor penetrate the garbanzos, then add the diced tomatoes, greens, and other vegetables to the mix, and simmer until all are cooked. (Collard greens will take longer to cook than spinach, chard, and arugula.)
Use labneh or Greek yogurt as a condiment to “cool” this dish down a bit more. Serve with extra curry powder, black pepper and/or red pepper flakes at the table for your family.
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