Creamy Coconut Chickpeas Curry

These chickpeas cooked in a sweet, spicy and tangy tomato-based sauce and finished with a touch of coconut cream is the kind of dish that I could enjoy almost any night of the week. I tend to make a big batch of it and cook up different vegetable side dishes to accompany the curry, mostly with brown rice and sometimes roti on the side. Especially for days when you get home from work late, cold and tired, it can be a real lifesaver!

Ingredients

2 cups chickpeas
2 green chillis, deseeded and quartered
2 cm ginger
4 garlic cloves
2 onions, diced
1/2 capsicum, sliced into sticks
2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 can of cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup coriander, chopped (include the stems)
1 teaspoon coconut sugar (or to taste)
2 teaspoon Celtic salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup coconut cream

Instructions

1 Blend green chillis, garlic, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a food processor or a mortar and pestle until it forms a fine paste. Set aside.
2 Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add in mustard and cumin seeds til they start to pop. Usually takes about 10-15 seconds. Be careful not to burn the seeds.
3 Add in onion and sauté until soft and brown. Usually takes about 10 minutes.
4 Once the onions are soft and brown, add in the green chilli paste and sauté for about 30 seconds.
5 Add in coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, and black pepper. Sauté for about 15 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices, as they easily stick onto the pot.
6 Add in capsicum, canned cherry tomato, and coriander into the onion mix and stir. Crush the cherry tomatoes so that it becomes a thick sauce. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes then add in the chickpeas. Simmer for another 10 minutes and add coconut sugar and salt to taste.
7 Add in coconut cream at the end, stir, and serve with brown rice or roti. Enjoy!

Notes

Using canned cherry tomato adds the natural sweetness to the curry. You will need to add more coconut sugar to balance the tanginess of the sauce if using canned whole tomato. You can also substitute chicken for chickpeas for a non-vegetarian option.

Creamy Coconut Chickpeas Curry