Chickpeas and Turmeric Basmati Rice

Chickpeas are my favorite legumes. I consume them at least once a week. They are a very nutritious food that you can incorporate into your diet. One of chickpeas' main features is that they're rich in lecithin—a lipid that has an important role in cholesterol control. In addition, it protects the body against cardiovascular disease because it also helps reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

For me, the easiest way to prepare chickpeas is to incorporate them into a salad or rice. For this recipe I wanted a comforting dish, so I decided to concoct a good meal with rice and chickpeas. I assure you this chickpea and turmeric basmati rice is a pleasure for the eyes and a treat for the palate. Plus, the rice-legume combination provides the necessary protein you need for a complete meal. If you like, you can always add some hard-boiled eggs.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas
• coarse sea salt
• water
• 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil
• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tbsp. chili
• garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons for serving.
• 1 cup Basmati rice

Preparation

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil with 1 ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoons of turmeric.
2. Rinse the Basmati rice under running water. Add the rice to the boiling water, mix, cover, lower the heat to a minimum and cook for 17 minutes.
3. Cut the onion and the pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat until slightly caramelized.
4. Add the chilli puree and sprinkle generously with garlic powder. Garlic powder can be replaced with fresh garlic.
5. Add the chickpeas and mix gently. Lower the heat over medium-low so that the chickpeas heats up slowly.
6. When the rice is finished cooking, loosen it with a fork.
7. Add the rice and the cheese to the chickpea mixture and mix well.
8. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.