Garbanzo Bean Curry with Tomato, Kale, and Shrimp

The other day, Robert purchased goods to restock our dry pantry. One of the many dry goods we keep in stock are garbanzo beans. That same frigid day in January, I went out to our garden and discovered our Lasanato Kale was still producing. The wheels in my head started turning, and I combined the two and made this excellent curry with the kale and garbanzo beans. He also picked up fresh tomatoes, and I was quite surprised by their quality for a winter tomato. In the refrigerator, we had fine cherry tomatoes that needed to be used ASAP. Frozen shrimp is something I always have on hand, and these days, you can get wild caught very easily. The dish turned out perfectly. It was so tasty and warming. The best part was the satisfaction of still being able to harvest from our outdoor garden when the weather that day was 20 degrees.

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Ingredients 

• 3 Cups dried garbanzo beans
• 6 Cups chicken stock already prepared; we made ours with Better than Boulin according to the directions
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Medium yellow or white onion diced
• 4 Cups roughly chopped fresh tomatoes or two 14 oz canned tomatoes
• 2-3 Cloves roughly chopped
• 1/4 Cup dried chili peppers or chili flakes (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Large bunch of kale garden fresh or store-bought
• 1/2 lb Fresh or frozen shrimp (thawed), medium to jumbo size

Preparation - 15 Cook Time - 30 to 90 minutes Serving 4 to 6

1. Combine the dried garbanzo beans and the stock in a large skillet or Dutch oven, get to a rolling boil, and cook for two minutes. Turn off the burner and cover for one hour to allow the beans to absorb most of the liquid. Another method is to continue cooking with the lid on for approx 45 minutes. The liquid should be cooked at a simmer. Check periodically to check for doneness. You will want the beans to be aldente. If you choose, you can always use canned beans. We suggest two cans, 14 oz each. Drain the beans, then rinse them. If you choose this method, you will want to have 1 cup of chicken stock to add to the recipe before adding the kale. Once the beans are aldente, remove them from the pan. They will be incorporated back into the dish at a later time.
2. In the same skillet, you used to cook the garbanzo beans, heat up the olive oil over medium heat, then saute the onions until they are slightly translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and lightly sprinkle salt over them to start sweating out the liquids. This creates a sauce that will help the kale wilt properly.
4. Once the sauce developed, add the dried chilies, curry powder, and ground pepper.
5. It's time to add the chopped kale to the skillet. The kale will wilt quickly, so keep an eye on it. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. Add the cooked garbanzo beans to the skillet and heat everything together until it comes to a hard simmer.
6. Place the shrimp over your garbanzo curry and stir in, making sure they are entirely covered with the curry to allow for even cooking. The curry should be slightly bubbling at this time. The shrimp will cook very quickly. I remove them after one minute and place them directly into the refrigerator. This will stop the cooking process.
7. You can now serve this beautiful dish immediately or heat it later and then top it with the shrimp. We served the curry with a herbed yeast bread that was freshly baked that day. If you are a curry lover, this is a must-have recipe that puts a spin on the standard curry dish. - Enjoy