Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by bstutzma, 07/16/04
Afghani-Inspired DelightIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 bag of fresh spinach (16 oz better, but I've done it with 10)
1 can of chickpeas (15 oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (~15 oz)
2 or 3 sweet potatoes, depending on size, diced into 1-inch cubes
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
dash or so of cinnamon, don't overdo it (this is what I think is Afghani tasting about it!)
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup dry rice, (real, not instant) cooked howe'ver you like ;-)
Directions:A friend of mine makes this and I really enjoy it, its so easy! It reminds me of some dishes I've had at Afghani restaurants (hence the name).
Steam the sweet potato until just tender, about 10 minutes or so.
In a wok, combine the tomatoes (not drained) and chickpeas (drained), and half can of water. Bring it to a simmer and then add spinach until it shrinks just a bit (just a couple minutes, you don't want to destroy it.)
Add the sweet potatoes and spices to the wok and stir to combine the flavors, let it simmer for a few minutes. I also like to let this sit a few minutes after cooking to let flavors mix. Serve over the rice.
Top each serving with several shakes of salt and pepper, to taste.
Serves: 2 with some leftovers
Preparation time: ~30 minutes
This dish is quite good. The flavor isn't the most exciting, but indeed, it is a good solid dish. I've made it several times and have found about 10 oz of spinach is perfect.
Archived comment by: welterweight
This is extremely flavorful and delicious!! I love sweet potatoes and these ingredients all blend very well together. I plan to make this again and again. I completely disagree with the serving sizes though... this makes a LOT of food and can serve at least 6 people!! I counted @ 7 heaping cups of stirfry, and once you add the rice, this is very filling. I would highly recommend this recipe to anybody! I even added it to my Weight Watchers-friendly recipes webpage.
http://jaimeskitchen.com/afghaniinspireddelight.html THANKS!!!
Archived comment by: arnaknagsak
OMG! So easy and everyone loves it!
Archived comment by: lin2779
This is absolutely one of the BEST things I've ever tasted. I actually found it on Jaime (araknagsaks) Weight Watchers website... (and I have her to thank now for finding this website!) I'm trying to go vegetarian (and possibly vegan) slowly...and this is one of the greatest stirfries ever. My curry-hating husband flipped for it!
I disagree with the poster who said its not flavorful.... it really is FULL of flavor as long as you add enough salt and spices. This is a make again and again and again in my house!
Archived comment by: dressingWhatever
I thought this was good. But 16oz of spinach? I used two handfuls of fresh spinach and it seemed like a lot. I understand was the person meant about the flavor not being the most exciting. Next time I would try doubling the spices; its a good blend of spices, just not very strong flavor in the final dish.
Archived comment by: vegan1
mmmm!!! Just made this and it was great for a cold winter night! I added jumbo raisins and I think this was an excellent addition.
Archived comment by: amkoruns
Now the raisins sound like a great idea! Maybe marinate them first in a little hot water, oil, and more of the spices the recipe calls for, for that extra flavor everyone says is missing! I think a 12 oz bag of baby spinach is perfect.... are you using real heads of it, or from the bag? I use the salad bags and only give it a quick rinse becaue I'm lazy and hate washing/drying veggies!
Archived comment by: dressingWhatever
Now the raisins sound like a great idea! Maybe marinate them first in a little hot water, oil, and more of the spices the recipe calls for, for that extra flavor everyone says is missing! I think a 12 oz bag of baby spinach is perfect.... are you using real heads of it, or from the bag? I use the salad bags and only give it a quick rinse becaue I'm lazy and hate washing/drying veggies!
Archived comment by: dressingWhatever
Pretty yummy. I made this over the weekend and followed the recipe with 1 addition. I love garlic so I sprinkled in a little bit. I also used frozen spinach since I didn't have any fresh and it was great. Next time I will double the spices. I felt it was a little light on them. I also think it doesn't need the rice. It makes a nice stew. I do think I will try it with the fresh spinach next time to see what the flavor difference is. Thanks for posting this.
Archived comment by: tari
I try to use fresh ingredients where I can so I tried fresh tomatoes instead of canned. I think it is a lot better, but it does lengthen the cooking time a bit. I'm making this once a week now. I love it and its so easy!
Archived comment by: tari
