Chickpeas And Fennel With Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium fennel bulb, chopped in one inch pieces
1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas
1 big garlic clove, diced with centre removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon garam masala
fennel, tops chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water

Preparation

Soak rice in pot for ten minutes in enough water to cover. When ten minutes are up, rinse the rice and add 1 cup fresh water. Cover and bring to a boil, then set on low heat to simmer for 8-9 minutes.
While rice cooks, chop fennel bulb and put in pan with olive oil. Cook on medium heat until fennel begins to soften.
Add chopped garlic, chickpeas, salt and pepper.
When rice is finished cooking, turn off burner under rice and leave, covered, for ten minutes more (makes it fluffy).
Add garam masala to chickpeas and fennel for remaining five minutes of cooking, while the rice is sitting, and add fresh fennel tops (the feathery parts) near the end of cooking (just to warm them up).
Serve side by side on big plates, and enjoy!