Chickpea "meat"ball stew in a crockpot

[possibilities]

This came out really well! I have a reputation as a notoriously bad cook, but I'm trying and I'm learning. I still don't really know what I'm doing, but obviously, I can cook yummy things. :) Still nervous about sharing them, though!

Chickpea Balls
These are basically the chickpea cutlets from all-over-the-internet and some-cookbook-I've-never-seen formed into ball shape with different proportions of ingredients. May work better with the actual recipe.

• 1 can chickpeas (~350 mL)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + some for the pan
  
• 2/3 cup vital wheat gluten
  
• 1/2 cup water + some for the pan
  
• 2 teaspons soy sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
  
• 2 teaspoons ginger
  
• ~1 or 2 tablespoons paprika

Dump canned chickpeas, including liquid, into a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil. Strain chickpeas and let cool somewhat.

Mash chickpeas with oil in a bowl until there aren't any whole ones left. Add the wheat gluten and knead until you get gluten strings.

Form the mix into about 10 balls. Fry the balls in a frying pan with oil and water until they seem less likely to fall apart. (This is probably the point in the recipe where it becomes painfully obvious that I'm making it up as I go!)

Some will still crumble in the stew. This is okay. The mush just adds to the yumminess.

The Stew

• 1 onion, cut up
  
• 2 small red peppers, diced roughly
  
• 1 can (~800 mL) diced tomato
  
• 1 large-ish carrot
  
• 2 stalks celery
  
• 1 cup red lentils
  
• ~300 mL water
  
• 1 teaspoon Turkish coffee
  
• 2 teaspoon
  
• 1 tablespoon each:
  • curry powder
    
  • cocoa
    
  • garam masala
• to taste:*
  • chili powder
    
  • paprika
    
  • sage
• chickpea "meat"balls

*My spices mostly come from the dollar store. They are weak. I often use much more than recipes call for; I have no idea how much someone with quality spices would use.

Throw the ingredients into the crockpot. Stir. Cook on high for 4 hours, low/medium for 3-4 hours. (My crockpot has only high and low settings.)

Especially yummy with hot lime water and sweetener of your choice.