Chickpea and Spinach Curry
This is the curry worth keeping a can of chickpeas and a can of coconut milk in the cupboard for. We fry whole cumin in the oil first and bloom the ground spices briefly with the onion, so the sauce tastes deep and warm rather than flat. The spinach goes in at the very end so it stays bright green.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 340 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
Frozen spinach works too: thaw 150 g, squeeze it dry and add it with the chickpeas.
Makes: 4 servings
Shopping list
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Method
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Step 1: Toast the cumin
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and fry for 30–40 seconds until they crackle and smell nutty.
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Step 2: Brown the onion
Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until soft and a deep golden colour. Don’t rush — this is where the sauce gets its sweetness.
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Step 3: Add aromatics and spices
Stir in the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds — add a splash of water if they start to catch.
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Step 4: Cook down the tomatoes
Add the tomatoes and salt and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the sauce thickens and oil starts to pool at the edges.
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Step 5: Add chickpeas and coconut
Add the chickpeas and coconut milk, saving 2 tbsp for serving. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, crushing a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken the sauce.
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Step 6: Wilt the spinach
Add the spinach by the handful and stir for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Turn off the heat, stir in the garam masala and lemon juice, then taste for salt.
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Step 7: Serve
Spoon into bowls, drizzle with the reserved coconut milk and scatter with coriander.
Tips & variations
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Tip
The garam masala goes in at the end because its aromas are delicate and fade with long cooking.
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Swap
Frozen spinach works too: thaw 150 g, squeeze it dry and add it with the chickpeas.
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Variation
For a heartier curry, add 200 g diced sweet potato and 100 ml water with the tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes longer.
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Tip
Serve with basmati rice or wholemeal flatbread to mop up the sauce.
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Storage
Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, and tastes even deeper the next day.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 340 kcal | 1,360 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g | 48 g |
| Fat | 19 g | 76 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g | 124 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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