Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This has to be one of my top 5 vegetarian curries. My variation of Chickpea and Spinach curry is made using mustard seeds and creamed coconut and has wonderful South Indian flavours to it. Not only is it wholesome and satisfying, it’s a great source of protein and gets your veggies in too. It’s a family favourite in our household and more often than not, it’s on our weekly dinner menu.

[lt_recipe name=”Chickpea Spinach Curry Recipe” servings=”2-3″ prep_time=”10M” cook_time=”35M” total_time=”45M” difficulty=”Medium” summary=”Made using an onion, garlic and coconut paste, you’ll need a blender and time for cooking. There are quicker ways to make this dish, but allowing time for the ingredients to cook at each step, gives the curry a richer taste. ” print=”yes” image=”https://www.spicella.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Chickpea-and-spinach-recipe-3.jpg” ingredients=”For the paste:;1/2 medium Onion (roughly chopped);5 large cloves Garlic;15g Ginger;2 Chillies;2 tbs Water;;For the sauce:;2 tbs Ghee or Oil;1 tsp Mustard Seeds; 4 Curry Leaves;1 Cinnamon stick (4cm);1 1/2 medium Onion (diced finely);50g Creamed Coconut;3/4 tsp Salt;1/4 tsp Turmeric powder;1 tsp Coriander powder;1 tsp Cumin powder;2 tsp Garam Masala;1/2 tsp Sugar;1 tsp Red chilli powder (optional);200g Baby Spinach (chop or leave whole);150ml Water;300g Tin Tomatoes (blended);400g Tin Chickpeas;Coriander (for garnish);”]Make a paste by blending 1/2 onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and 2 tbs water until smooth.;In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tbs ghee or oil. Once the oil is ready, fry the curry leaves, mustard seeds and cinnamon stick until it sizzles.;Add 1 1/2 diced onions and stir. Leave the onions to soften for about 10 minutes on a medium heat until they are golden.;Add the paste into the pan, stir in and let it cook for a further 5 minutes.;Add the creamed coconut and allow this to melt.;Now add the following spices to the paste: salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and sugar and let it cook for 5 minutes.;Pour in the blended tomatoes and stir to make a curry sauce. Let this cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat.;Once the sauce starts to bubble add the Chickpeas, Spinach and 200ml water. Let it cook for a further 10 minutes on a low-medium heat.;Garnish with coriander.[/lt_recipe]

Equipment required

• Blender or chopper

Useful Tips for making Chickpea and Spinach Curry

• If you don’t have coconut cream in your pantry, use coconut milk or single cream as a substitute, it’s just as indulgent.