(Sort of) Chickpea Curry
With days getting colder and shorter, the focus in my kitchen is shifting towards warm, spiced foods, rather than easy salads. Stews, curries, delicious soups fill the air with decadent and inviting smells.
It’s that time of the year when everything should be eaten from a bowl. All food should be saucy and warm and comforting. Baking should reclaim its rightful place and cookies should start being available at all times.
This “curry” was a pandemic discovery for me. Having stocked up at the time on toilet paper and cans of all sorts of legumes, I found myself at a loss as to what to do with it. I figured garlic, onion, ginger go with everything, really, and why not add some greens for extra fibre? Coconut milk and yoghurt for creaminess and really, what more could we ask for?
It comes together in half an hour - 40 minutes tops (and 20 minutes of those will be you doing nothing) and, if you plan a little bit ahead, you can also make some quick naan flatbreads to serve with it (my recipe will follow at some point, I promise). While incredibly delicious, it also hits all the right nutrition spots and, should you skip the yoghurt or replace it with a dairy free version, it can even be vegan.
Make it tonight, and if you like it don’t forget to subscribe for more recipes!
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5cm (2”) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 (450g/15 oz each) cans of chickpeas
500ml coconut milk
500ml vegetable stock
200g (1/2 lb) baby spinach
olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
1 chilli pepper, finely sliced
bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup yoghurt
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried mint
flatbreads or rice (optional)
In a large bowl, add the drained chickpeas. Add 1 tsp of the turmeric, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and a glug of olive oil. Combine well. Add half of the chickpeas to an oven dish (make sure they fit in one layer) and bake at 200 degrees C for 15 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, in a large pan sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil. Add the other tsp of turmeric and stir well. Add the other half of the chickpeas and combine. Let cook until everything is turning a golden colour.
Squish the chickpeas in the pan with a spatula (this will release the starch and thicken the sauce a little). Add the veggie stock and coconut milk and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the chickpeas are cooked and flavourful and the sauce has reduced to your liking. If need be, add a splash of water to the pan to loosen.
Add the spinach to the pan. It will wilt in no time so make sure to mix well and that it is completely submerged.
Make the mint yoghurt. In a bowl combine the yoghurt with the dried mint, salt and pepper. Mix well and taste - adjust the seasoning to your liking.
To serve, spoon the curry into bowls. Top with the crispy chickpeas from the oven (these are amazing as a snack too, by the way), minty yoghurt, chilli and coriander.
Serve with warmed flatbreads or rice and enjoy!