Chickpea Curry
Canned chickpeas make this curry a pantry dinner that comes together fast — rinse them well to remove the canning liquid, which can taste metallic. Bloom the spices in hot oil before adding any liquid to unlock their full flavor. Coconut milk rounds out the heat and adds body. Serve this with Herb Rice Pilaf.
Indian · Vegan • 30 min
Servings:4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Cooked basmati rice and warm naan, for serving
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Steps
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, 5–7 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and deepen in color, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Scrape up any spices stuck to the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, chickpeas, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, 15–20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and taste for salt. Serve over basmati rice with warm naan. Top with cilantro.
Shop This Recipe
The Measuring Cup earns a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we use in our own kitchen.
