Colorful, delicious curry! I started developing this easy recipe several years ago. I recall making it several times, adjusting the seasonings and refining the instructions, but never being quite satisfied. It went on the back burner, so to speak, for a few years. Long enough ago that I can’t remember what put the idea in my head in the first place.  I ran across my notes recently and decided to give it another go. Well, more like three, but it was well worth it! Luckily, my taster-in-chief is patient and loves curry.

I’ve used dried chickpeas here, rather than canned. I like to cook them myself, a pound at a time, and freeze them in ziptop plastic bags. That way, I can control the amount of salt, and avoid the BPA that so many can liners contain. Then I just grab a bag from the freezer — even easier than opening a can! Substitute canned if you like, just know that the nutrition information will change.

The recipe serves 2-3, depending on the size of your appetite and whether or not you’re hoping for leftovers. Serve it with Fresh Ginger-Orange Chutney for an extra treat. 

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

1 small onion

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

2- to 3-inch piece of fresh ginger root

4 cloves garlic

2 Tablespoons Oliva Blood Orange Fused Olive Oil, divided (may substitute plain)

1 large Granny Smith (or another tart, firm apple)

3 Tbsp curry powder (I used Penzeys Maharajah)

1 cup broth (Homemade Vegetable Broth, or the broth from cooking your own chickpeas from dried, or substitute water if you have neither of these)

1½ cups water

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

⅛ tsp cayenne

* ½ cup Hull-less whole grain barley

2 cups Cooked Dried Chickpeas

Preparation:

1.) Chop the onion and bell peppers. Peel and mince the ginger, for 2 Tbsp. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers, and sauté until they begin to soften and brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

2.) Add the remaining oil. Wait a moment for it to heat, then add the ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add curry powder and cook about 30 seconds more.

3.) Stir in the broth and water, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and barley. Cover; reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

4.) Add the chickpeas, gently spreading them across the top of the barley so as not to disturb it, with all the chickpeas at least partially submerged. Add the onions & peppers, again without disturbing the barley.  Cover; return to a simmer and cook another 20 minutes.

5.) Chop the apple and stir it into the pan, mixing thoroughly this time. Cover, remove from heat, and let rest five minutes before serving.