Slow cooked smoky chickpeas with tacos

On the weekend, I had been to a few places where we had seen friends and was queuing for burgers at Lord of the Fries.  I noticed one foot seemed higher than the other.  When I looked down I was wearing odd sandals.  That about sums up life at the moment.  Some highs - swimming 1 km for the first time in years, meeting the author at bookclub, and Sylvia trying more foods.  Some lows - lots of unsettling staff changes at work, a dysfunctional worm farm, and hearing about the death of Scott Walker.  And lots of surprises.  Like a recipe for slow cooker chickpeas that turns out to be a good meal to see me through a week, even without a slow cooker.

I made these chickpeas during the day while chatting to my mum.  They are incredible easy as long as there is some time to let them while away at their own pace.  Then after gymnastics we could come home to easy dinner.

I had decided to serve the chickpeas in soft tacos.  They were really good.  And so simple to heat the stew and chop some vegies and cheese.  It is a nice social sort of meal to sit around the table and everyone can take what they like.  And I got to use up some sour cream and packet salsa.

I think one of the reason this recipe works so well is adding just a little water and keeping the sauce thick so the flavour is intense.  I tried to make the recipe this week with half a pumpkin.  It was still nice but I had to add more seasoning and it was quite watery.  Not the lovely thickly coated chickpeas of my first attempt.  However it still worked really well to serve it with gnocchi, grated cheese and baby spinach.  Or it works with sourdough toast.  I think this is a very versatile dish.

As for my odd sandals, you might wonder why E and Sylvia had not mentioned them to me, given they were there the whole morning.  Seems they think I am quite a trendsetter.  But I don't recommend it myself.  If you want to follow my lead, I suggest making these delicious chickpeas rather than wearing odd sandals.

I am sending these chickpeas to Shaheen of Allotment to Kitchen who is hosting My Lovely Legume Affair this month on behalf of Lisa's Kitchen who took over from The Well Seasoned Cook who started this event celebrating legume recipes of all kinds.

More chickpea recipes on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Chickpea hummus scramble (gf, v) 
Chickpea, peach and pumpkin curry (gf, v) 
Chickpea pilaf (gf, v) 
Chickpea, potato and tomato stew (gf, v) 
Mock tuna (chickpea) salad (gf, v)
One pot pasta with chickpeas and zucchini (v)

Slow cooked smoky chickpeas 
Adapted from Backyard Lemon Tree
Serves 6-8

olive oil, a drizzle
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp seeded mustard
shake of dried herbs
good pinch of salt and pepper
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1x 400g tin diced tomatoes
water as required

Cook onion and carrots in olive oil in a heavy bottomed stockpot until golden (about 5 or 10 minutes over medium heat).  Add garlic, smoked paprika, mustard, herbs and seasoning.  Cook for a minute and then add chickpeas, tomatoes and about half a cup of water.  Bring to boil and the reduce heat to low.  Slowly cook for 30 to 60 minutes, adding a little boiling water from time to time until tomato sauce thickened.  (NB only a small amount of water at a time so it does not get watery and have to cook a lot to thicken.)

On the stereo:
Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel