Making the most of summer’s beautiful veggie bounty

We’re heading into one of my favorite seasons: farmers’ market season. While it may take a bit before fresh produce starts to show up at the stands, it’s not too early to bookmark this recipe, which collects the bounty of Montana into a healthy and delicious dish for summer. 

I’ve lived in many places around the state with seasonal farmers’ markets that seem to expand each year. When I’m traveling to different corners of Big Sky Country, I’ll often see if my schedule aligns with a local farmer’s market day. It’s a fun way to check out handmade crafts and parochial produce. In many ways, it’s also a window into local culture. 

At least a few times a year I’ll go to a market just to get inspired by the offerings. That’s how this vegan yellow curry was born. This recipe also gives me a chance to combine fresh veggies with another Montana-grown favorite: black chickpeas. The color contrast between the yellow curry, black chickpeas and fresh vegetables will draw anyone’s eyes. 

Montana is the largest U.S. producer of chickpeas, which are a great source of protein. We don’t eat enough of them here. These organic black chickpeas are grown by producers around the state and sold by Timeless Natural Food. 

Another great thing about this recipe is its adaptability with the chickpeas’ vegetable co-stars. This recipe uses asparagus and broccolini, but nearly anything would work well: zucchini, squash, peas, bell peppers, green beans, spinach, eggplant, sweet potatoes, carrots — the only limit is what you can find fresh. Consider this recipe a template for the veggie canvas of your choice. 

The spices and coconut milk can be found in any grocery store. These flavors, coupled with fresh vegetables and hearty chickpeas, make for a delicious, colorful, and healthy meal that you can change up every time you visit your farmers’ market. 

FARMERS’ MARKET CHICKPEA CURRY RECIPE
Serves 4-6 

1 cup dried black chickpeas
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeño or two smaller green chilis, diced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp turmeric 
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander powder
I can petit diced tomatoes
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
8 oz. broccolini or broccoli
16 oz. asparagus, cut in thirds
vegetable oil 
1 lime
cilantro
optional: toasted cashews

Soak the black chickpeas in 5 cups of water overnight. The next day, drain the water and put the chickpeas in a saucepan with 5 cups of new water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes. Shut off the heat and leave them in the water while you work on the rest of the dish. 

In a large pan, sauté the diced onion on medium heat with about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add the ginger, garlic and jalapeño or green chili, and sauté for 3 minutes. If you want your curry a little less spicy, remove the chili seeds and pith as you chop it. Add the garam masala, cinnamon stick, turmeric, cumin and coriander, and sauté another 3 minutes. Add the petit diced tomatoes, red bell pepper and 1/2 cup of water, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Now drain the water off the chickpeas and add them to the sauté pan along with the broccolini, asparagus and coconut milk. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the asparagus and broccolini are tender. Remove the cinnamon stick. Add the juice of half the lime and check the seasoning levels for salt and pepper, adjusting to your preference. 

Serve with basmati or long-grain rice and top with chopped fresh cilantro and, if you want a bit more texture, toasted cashews. 

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