If I had a “specialty,” I’d say it was this. If people come over for dinner unexpectedly, I always make this. It’s really tasty, a tiny bit impressive, and super simple.

I almost always have the ingredients on hand to make this, and you should too. I am very lucky to have an amazing Indian food store just a few blocks from home, where I can get really affordable Indian spices. But these days, it’s relatively easy to find curry powder in your average grocery store and that’s the most important part of this spice mixture. If you don’t have – or can’t find/don’t want to buy – the rest, just make sure you invest in curry powder.

Ingredients
1 cup white rice
5-6 cardamom seed pods (optional)
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp curry powder, or to taste
dash cumin and cinnamon
dash cayenne and tumeric (optional)
handful spinach
olive oil

Instructions
Cook rice in rice cooker (with cardamom seeds if desired). In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chopped sweet potatoes in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes or until it is slightly browned and starting to soften. Then add chopped green peppers and onion and cook for about 2 minutes more. Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes (with liquid), and spices, and stir until fully incorporated. Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes while flavors meld and the rice finishes cooking. In the last minute, fold in a handful of baby spinach to wilt. Serve over rice.

Serves 2