Cooking with less meat

The most surprising thing that I've learned in nutrition so far this year is that most of us need less protein than we think we do. I think that many of us young pseudo-athletes who grew up in the age of Atkins and South Beach were under the impression that we should eat mostly protein and vegetables. For me, doubts began to creep in when I observed Asian cooking, which is heavy on carbs and vegetables but still feeds mostly thin and healthy people. According to one of my professors, "there is no physiological advantage in consuming excess protein," because that protein will be broken down and converted to other products anyway (not made directly into muscle protein). In contrast, he says, "higher carbohydrate consumption preserves body protein" because carbohydrates, rather than muscle protein, can serve as your main source of energy. Apparently, we should aim for 45-65% of our daily calories from carbs, vs. 10-35% from protein.

From a taste and price perspective, adding chickpeas to this chicken curry adds variety of flavor and texture, and is cheaper, than using chicken alone. This recipe was inspired by my upstairs neighbor, originally from Kerala by way of Long Island, who has recently been trying to recreate her father's curry and generously sharing the rejected versions with me. Her dad makes a mean curry, her mom is a professor at Columbia Medical School: we both get teased by our moms for our fledgling knowledge of medicine; we both raid our dads' spice cabinets when we visit home.

Chicken and chole curry (this ingredient list may look longer than most but if you look closely it's really quite minimalist; these ingredients are good to have lying around):

• 2-4 tbsp ground cumin
• 2-4 tbsp curry powder
• dried chili flakes
• 1-2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1-2 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup canned tomatoes
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, reconstituted, or 1 can chickpeas
• 1/2 lb chicken breast or thighs, sliced
• canola oil
• salt & pepper
• couscous or rice for serving

In a pressure cooker or pot with a lid, heat a few tablespoons of the oil. When hot, add the ginger and garlic, then onion, then spices. Stir constantly and add water as needed so that the mixture becomes creamy and uniform without burning. Next, add the chicken and cook until the outside becomes white. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and plenty of liquid, and cook on low pressure or low heat (with a lid) until chicken is cooked through and completely tender. Adjust spices as needed. Should be a brothy stew that can be served with couscous or rice.

From Old Delhi in 2005, not Kerala: