Bean Griddlecakes with Spiced Rice and Coconut Curry Sauce

This week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs is Spice Caravan, and I had a great time coming up with some spicy Mark Bittman dishes. I started out making Bittman's Rick with Chickpeas and made the Spiced Rice with Chickpeas and Almonds variation.

Spiced Rice with Chickpeas and Almonds
adapted from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian

1 tbsp olive oil -- I used ghee
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 and 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomato with juice or canned (don't drain) -- I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted
1 cup vegetable broth (I ended up needing a full 14 ounce can to cook the rice properly) -- I used Swanson Vegetarian Vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice -- I used Roland Basmati
1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -- Mark says you can use drained canned or cooked dried
toasted sliced almonds
*we also added about 1 cup of raisins

Heat the ghee (or oil) in a large pot and add the spices and cook for a minute or so. Add the tomato, stock, bay leaf, and some salt, bring to a boil.



Stir in the rice and chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cover, and turn the heat down to low so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Stir in the raisins if using, top with almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I had originally planned to just make the rice, then for leftover lunch the next day I decided to make Mark's Bean Griddlecakes. You can use any bean, and since I had a bunch of garbanzos after slow cooking 1 lb of dried, I decided to use those up in the Griddlecakes.

Curry Chickpea / Garbanzo Bean Griddlecakes
adapted from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian

2 cups cooked or canned drained beans
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup flour
salt to taste, depending on beans
1 tsp curry powder

Set a skillet or heat an electric griddle (what I use) to 375. Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them roughly. Stir in the milk, egg, and butter, stir until combined.

Add the flour and sprinkle with salt, stir until well combined. It should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Working in batches, scoop out about 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle to make 3-4 inch griddlecakes. Cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Serve hot or at room temperature.


I had some leftover spiced rice and garbanzo bean griddlecakes, and thought a curry sauce would be perfect to tie everything together. I made my super quick version of a coconut curry sauce and it went really well with the rice and griddlecakes.

Quick Coconut Curry Sauce

1 can coconut milk (14 ounces)
2 tbsp butter or ghee
2 tsp curry powder (you can start with 2 and up as desired, or use 1 tsp for a lighter flavor)
1/2 cup shredded coconut


In small sauce pan over low heat melt butter and coconut milk. Let it come to a low simmer and add in the curry powder. Simmer on very low for at least 10 minutes or until desired thickness, stir in shredded coconut before serving. Spoon over rice, griddlecakes, steamed veggies, etc.


This was all so delicious together, definitely the most flavorful meal I've had in a long time, and so many textures too. This last picture looks like a huge plate full of food but it was only 1/2 cup of the rice and two bean griddle cakes, but after adding the curry sauce and toasted almonds it looks gargantuan! It reminds me of a Thanksgiving dinner plate, filled to the brim with yummy food and then smothered in gravy :)