food & grocery: Chickpeas with tomatoes - leftovers don't have to be bland

Now, taking home leftovers of food is one thing; I know this was different. Yeah, so some people might think I’m a bit of a kook. At Curry Up, at least, they were polite enough not to look askance, and were very friendly! I was appreciating their culinary skills, the amazing food they were serving. Asking to take home leftover sauces was a compliment!

The coconut chutney, thinned a bit, made a lovely dressing for ripe, garden-fresh tomatoes. I put the sambhar sauce to a different use, making a quick lunch to bring to work with me as I puttered around one morning getting ready for the day.

I opened a can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained them, placed them into a small saucepan, and then added the leftover sauce extended with a bit of water; I brought it to a boil. Once the sauce had reduced by half, I added a chopped tomato and cooked it ‘til the sauce had thickened somewhat. A pinch of salt, a pinch of hot curry powder… and that’s it! I packed up my beautiful lunch featuring amazing fragrance and flavor, and enjoyed it immensely later in the day.

So today’s post is not so much a recipe, but rather a recommendation. Don’t reject leftovers, and don’t necessarily think they have to be eaten “as is.” Play with your food! And don’t waste it, either. Some of the most delicious meals have been created from the lowly leftover.

Mary Bilyeu writes for AnnArbor.com on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, telling about her adventures in the kitchen - making dinner, celebrating holidays, entering cooking contests, meeting new friends … whatever strikes her fancy. She is also on a mission to find great deals for her Frugal Floozie Friday posts, seeking fabulous food at restaurants on the limited budget of only $5 per person. Feel free to email her with questions, comments, or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.

Go visit Mary’s blog — Food Floozie — where she enthuses and effuses over all things food-related; and look for her monthly articles in the Washtenaw Jewish News. “Like” her on Facebook, or send a tweet on Twitter, too.

The phrase “You Should Only Be Happy” (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured in this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers - when you come to visit here, may you always be happy.