Crazy Tasty Chickpea Gravy

It sure isn't pretty, is it? But, you know what? I don't give a shit and you shouldn't either because it tastes stellar. And I think that says a lot because I'm not much of a gravy sort of girl on the best of days. I usually just eat my mashed taters with some Earth Balance and salt and pepper. This gravy was even tasty with some roasted veg. Weird, I know. Or, well, maybe it isn't. Some of you folks may think I'm the weird one for not being a gravy addict. Who knows! Who cares?! I sure as hell don't. I was just making conversation.

Anyway, I was bored today, so I started flipping through my cookbooks to find inspiration. The inspiration started from a recipe called Punkrock Chickpea Gravy (pg 111) in Vegan With A Vengeance by Ms. Moskowitz. Well, you know me; I can never resist chickpeas as they are the most kick-ass legume around, but gravy? Meh. I was skeptical, but I've been in a serious cooking rut this last week and needed to step out of my comfort zone and try something entirely different. I'm ashamed to admit that in this rut, I had forgotten to soak and cook some chickpeas. *forehead smack* I rummaged through my cupboards and found the one (and only) can of chickpeas that managed to survive my dried bean love fest. Canned beans just don't hold the appeal they once did. I've been converted. It's like some weird dried bean cult or something. Whatever.

This recipe makes a LOT of gravy. Far more than I would have thought. Probably 2-3 cups. I dunno. A lot. So, make a lot of potatoes, or whatever it is you gravy-loving folk put it on.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB all-purpose flour
• 2 cups water (you may need a little more at the end of cooking if your gravy gets too thick for you)
• 1 1/2  TB olive oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a medium onion, diced small
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder (ground mustard seed)
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 dash celery seed
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 shakes red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp crushed rosemary
• 2 dashes ground thyme
• 3 TB Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB nutritional yeast

Method:

1. Use either a potato masher or your food processor to get your chickpeas semi-mashed. I could have maybe processed mine a bit further, but I don't think you'd really want them pureed. Let's just say that you should keep them slightly chunky.
2. Whisk together the flour and water in a bowl and set aside for now.
3. Get a skillet out...a large nonstick one if possible. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Then add in the onions. After cooking for about 6-7 minutes, add in the garlic. Cook 2 more minutes, until the onion is transparent and the garlic very fragrant. 
4. Add in the chickpeas and heat about 4 minutes. 
5. Now, stir in all of your spices, the Braggs, and lemon juice. Stir very well and cook another minute or three.
6. Add in the flour/water mixture and mix very well. Keep scraping the bottom of the pan so no gravy sticks. As soon as the gravy starts to thicken, I added the nooch and turned my burner down to low and just kept stirring and folding the gravy for about 4-6 minutes. I like it kind of thick, but you can add more water if it is too thick for you. 
7. I added a bit more pepper and a few sprinkles of salt to mine here. So, taste test your seasonings and serve it up on whatever it is you weirdos put gravy on.