Chickpeas have been cultivated, or at least eaten, in the Middle East for nearly 10,000 years. They were eventually brought to and cultivated in the Mediterranean and South Asia, where they remain important to local cuisines. In fact, there’s a few very famous spiced chickpea dishes from the Indian subcontinent called Chana masala and Punjabi Chole.
About Chickpea Curry
This is not a Chana Masala and not a Punjabi Chole as well! Coconut Chickpea Curry is a simple & fast one pot Indian dish of curried chickpeas made with coconut milk, tomatoes and store-bought ground spices. That said, you can absolutely change up some of the flavors of this beautiful curry. Make it authentic coconut chickpea curry by following my recipe notes below. This fast recipe is simple and straight forward, where we simmer the prepared chickpeas with the rest of the ingredients for a delicious curried dish bursting with flavors. Even with such a simple and crowd-pleasing recipe, there are so many ways to personalize it and make it really special. To make this Chickpea Curry recipe fast, grab a can or two of chickpeas, canned tomato puree (passata), and coconut milk. If you love to work with all fresh ingredients from scratch (including coconut milk) you can also do that but takes time. Do check my pro tips section for that. Love to work with dried chickpeas instead of canned? Rinse 1 cup dried chickpeas and soak overnight in warm water. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas, then add them to a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot along with 1½ cups of water. For the electric pressure cooker, pressure cook them for 17 minutes; for the stovetop pressure cooker, wait for 3 to 5 whistles depending on the model. Above all, make sure the chickpeas, whether canned or pressure cooked, are really soft before adding them to the curry or else you risk the acidity in the tomatoes turning them hard. I have more tips in the Pro tips section below. Similar RecipesChana MasalaRajma RecipeCauliflower CurryButter Naan One of the best parts of this recipe is it comes together in a flash, if you have the ingredients ready. Here’s how to put it together.
How to Make Chickpea Curry (Stepwise Photos)
In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add 1 ½ cups of chopped onions. Cook the onions until they turn golden, stirring every 2 minutes to prevent burning. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic. Sauté with the onions until you can smell the garlic and ginger, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remember to stir to prevent burning. Turn the heat to low and add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ to 1½ teaspoons red chili powder or mild smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, and 1 tablespoon curry powder. Toast the spices for 30 to 40 seconds and stir to keep them from burning. Once the spices become aromatic, stir in the 1 ½ cups fresh or 1 cup canned/bottled tomato purée. Cook it on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes to remove the raw flavor of the tomatoes. Add the 3 cups of canned or pre-cooked chickpeas, 1 ¼ cup water or chickpea stock, and 1 ¼ cups coconut milk. If using canned chickpeas, make sure they’re tender and you’ve drained and rinsed the chickpeas before adding them. Cover the pan and simmer the curry on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so the bottom of the curry doesn’t burn. You’ll know it’s done when the chickpeas are melt-in-your-mouth soft and have absorbed the flavors of the curry. If they taste bland or too firm, cook at least another 5 to 10 minutes or until ready. Stir in ½ teaspoon garam masala and 1 teaspoon sugar (optional), then taste test and add either more garam masala (up to another ½ teaspoon) or salt to taste. If you want you may add more coconut milk to your taste. Turn off the heat and keep the curry covered until serving time; this helps retain the flavors of chickpea curry. Once the curry cools slightly, garnish with ¼ cup cilantro leaves. Top the curry with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Great! You’ve made a delicious coconut chickpea curry. But how do you turn it into a rounded meal that can be spaced out over several servings? You serve it with grains or bread! One of the best parts of the curry is the sauce, and a great way to soak up every bit of it is with some simple steamed or boiled grains and seeds such as white or brown rice, quinoa, or millet alongside deep-fried poppadoms if you feel fancy. Their mild taste allows them to absorb flavors beautifully. If you have access to a bakery or time to make your own, flatbreads are perfect for scooping up the saucy chickpeas. Roti, Chapati and Butter Naan pair well with curries, but you can also try Parathas.
Pro Tips
Chickpeas: Check if your chickpeas are tender by squeezing a chickpea between your fingers. Does the chickpea smash easily? Then it’s ready to go into the curry. If your canned chickpeas are undercooked or have too much bite, boil them in plain water until soft. Liquid: While I prefer to use plain water or chickpea water (aquafaba from the pressure cooked chickpeas) to make the curry. But you can replace the water in the curry with vegetable stock. Love coconut milk? Add as much as you want! Just keep in mind that it will dilute the other flavors of the curry. All you will taste is only the coconut milk! If you prefer, you can either substitute the 1 ¼ cups canned coconut milk with homemade coconut milk or extract from 2 cups fresh or frozen coconut. To make your own homemade coconut milk, grind 2 cups of fresh or frozen grated coconut with 1 cup of water in a food processor or blender. Curry Leaves: If you want you may throw in 1 to 2 sprigs of curry leaves to the hot oil before adding the onions. For spices, you can substitute the 1 tablespoon curry powder for 1 teaspoon garam masala, pav bhaji masala, or misal masala. Authentic Coconut Chickpea curry : To make the authentic version, make your own spice blend by using the ingredients I mentioned in the recipe notes below. Related Recipes
