Fennel Garbanzo Beans/ Chickpeas 茴香鹰嘴豆

[Updated Feb 2020]: Winter is a great time for fennel, especially in any cold-weather soups or stews. I made Fennel Chickpeas Stew again this winter, and the leftovers chickpeas is also great as plant-based protein when building these plant-powered veggie/ grain bowls.

Veggie Bowl with Steamed Broccoli with Garlic, Roasted Potatoes, Chickpea Fennel Stew, Egg

Fennel is profoundly hard to describe when it comes to its taste. The seeds, bulbs, and fronds - each is unique and therefore depending on how you use and cook it, the flavors can be often complex, layered, nuanced.

Razor-thin fennel bulb used raw in salads lends anise flavors and sharpness; while larger slices of the bulb cooked slowly in a braise or stew - with time mellowing the licorice flavors as it melds down with sweetness in the stew - rounding and balancing a savory dish superbly well. Fennel can be indeed versatile if you know how to use it e.g. using it in a meat braise or stew (try Braised Quail with Fennel and Tomatoes) to cut though richness; or roasting with fish or in a seafood bouillabaisse-like dish to balance the brininess; or a homey Fennel Egg Scramble.



However, fennel bulb is quite under-utilized in my kitchen, up till now. Most often, "fennel" has appeared only when fennel seeds are called for in Indian-style dishes. Well, that is another "part" of the fennel plant. Today I will use the fennel bulb (not the seeds) in a vegetarian dish, not specific to any cuisine, but more so to quickly cook a side-dish that makes use of whatever there is in the kitchen a.k.a home-style cooking, home-style cuisine.


Fennel Chickpea (Garbanzo Beans) Curry 茴香鹰嘴豆
Ingredients:
Pinch of ground cumin, corainder, cayeene pepper, turmeric, black pepper
2tsp curry powder
1 small onion diced, or about 1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 fennel, roughly sliced
1 chayote, peeled, seed removed, then chop to bite-size pieces similar (or slightly larger) to chickpea size
1 12-15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained away soaking liquid, then rinse a few times to remove "soapy" scum that usually comes in canned beans
3-5 mini sweet peppers or 1/2 small-medium bell pepper, finely sliced or diced
Sea salt to taste

Directions: Temper the spices in hot oil, then add in onions, garlic and mix thoroughly. Add in fennel, chayote, and fry for 2-3 minutes, splash of water to moisten, then cover pot to simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Add in chickpeas, bell peppers, give it a good stir then add more water and allow the mixture to simmer at medium-heat for 3 minutes then at low-heat for about 5 minutes or more for all the flavors to develop and combine. Salt to taste.


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Tag: fennel beans curry, fennel curry

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