Chickpeas with Paneer Cheese

Though I have enjoyed cooking for many years, not all that long ago I would sometimes refrain from eating when faced with emotional stresses. Needless to say, this was counter-productive and not a very healthy approach to stress. One of the most important lessons I have learned this past year is the therapeutic nature of cooking. If you like to cook, producing delicious nourishing food is an excellent way to channel negative energy; we all must eat after all. 2007 was a challenging year for me, the most serious trial being the death of my mother back in June. To this day, I am thankful that my mom taught me the joy of baking and cooking because it has helped me deal with the blues on many occasions.

It is now January, a rather cheerless time of year for those of us who do not enjoy the short days and cold temperatures we get in Canada over the winter months. As Eve notes over at The Garden of Eating, that means it's time for some serious comfort food and she's calling for recipes for her upcoming Comfort Food Cook-off. Two of my favorite foods are chickpeas and paneer, so I'm submitting this warming spicy Indian Chickpea and Paneer Cheese dish.

Chickpeas with Paneer Cheese

1 1/4 cups of dried chickpeas
1 cup of fried paneer cubes
3 tablespoons of oil, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of ginger, grated or minced
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 bay leaf, crumbled into small bits
2 - 3 hot chilies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 large tomato, finely diced
1/2 - 3/4 cups of reserved chickpea cooking liquid or water
juice from one lemon
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala

Soak the chickpeas in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the chickpeas until buttery soft - 1 - 2 hours. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, drain the beans and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. When hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger and saute until the onions are browned. Add the whole cumin seeds and crushed bay leaf and fry for a few seconds. Now add the diced chillies, ground spices and salt and pepper, and stir and fry for another minute or so. Stir in the tomato and cook for another few minutes.

Now add 1/2 cup or more of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid, along with the cooked chickpeas and fried paneer cubes. Cook gently for another 5 - 8 minutes, adding more liquid to achieve the desired consistency. When the dish is nearly done, stir in the lemon juice and garam masala. Serve hot.

Serves 4.