Dad’s Easy Chickpeas

This is the easiest chickpea recipe I know, which my Dad makes for breakfast and we usually end up having for lunch and dinner (if there are any leftovers from breakfast). It’s simple, filling and we love it.

What you’ll need:

* 250g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

* 1 tablespoon oil

* 1 sprig curry leaves

* ½ to 1medium red onion, sliced

* 3-4 dried red chillies, broken into little pieces

* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

* Salt to taste

What to do:

Drain water from chickpeas soaked overnight. Place drained chickpeas in a pan or microwave container, cover with water (about 1 inch above the top). Boil until cooked or soft enough to be edible. Then drain chickpeas of any remaining cooking liquid. (This liquid can be used as stock. My father drinks it like a plain ‘tea’).

Next, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, when they start crackling add sliced onion, chillies and curry leaves. When onions are soft, add chickpeas and stir-fry for a few minutes. Then add salt to taste. And that’s it. Enjoy.

Lazy Nachos

Friday nights are usually no-effort meal days. Or very little effort. This is one such meal that my sister, Amali, often puts together with variations of her own making. For instance, last week she added a fried eggplant and apple mixture, which worked really well. But the basic dish is simple and very easy to make.

What you’ll need:

1 packet of corn chips

1 tin baked beans

Grated cheese – any easy-to-melt variety will do, and a dollop of cream cheese if you’d like to stare a few more calories in the face.

What to do:

Line the bottom of a microwave-proof dish with corn chips. Top with baked beans, then grated cheese. Microwave until cheese melts. And you’re done.