Vegetarian Chickpea Curry with Tangy Mint Yogurt Sauce
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Serves: 4 servings
 
This chickpea curry is fast, easy, and inexpensive -- and because all of the ingredients are typically in my fridge or pantry already, it's the perfect meal on those days I desperately need to go grocery shopping. Vegetarian and gluten-free, but hearty enough that everyone will be satisfied. (Easily made vegan, see recipe notes for details.)
Ingredients
For the curry:
  • 2 TBSP coconut oil
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2½ tsp. curry powder*
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin
  • pinch of cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 14.5 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or homemade cooked chickpeas, about 3½ cups)
  • 1 15oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (you can use light or full fat – I like the richness of the full fat coconut milk here, but use what you prefer)
  • ¼-½ cup water, as needed
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or parsley, if you don't like cilantro)
  • Salt, to taste
For the yogurt sauce:
  • ½ cup plain yogurt (you can use regular or greek, full fat or low fat, whatever you like – again, I prefer full fat)
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped or chiffonaded
For serving:
  • Cooked rice, or baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, or naan bread (or gluten-free naan)
Instructions
  1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt, and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion has started to turn translucent. Add the garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon if using, and stir for 30-60 seconds to toast the spices.
  2. Add in the drained and rinsed chickpeas, coconut milk, and ¼ cup of water. Stir to combine, and let cook for 15-20 minutes, reducing the heat to low once it comes to a bubble, so the flavors have a chance to meld together.
  3. Taste, and add more salt if needed. If the sauce has thickened more than you'd like, thin it with a little extra water. Add in the fresh cilantro, and remove from the heat.
  4. In a bowl, stir together the yogurt and chopped mint.
  5. Serve the curry over cooked rice (basmatti might be more traditional, but I like brown rice with mine) or alongside a baked potato or sweet potato. Dollop the tangy yogurt and mint sauce on top, and swirl into the curry as you eat to cool the heat and balance the flavors.
Notes
*the amount of heat in this recipe will vary depending on how spicy your curry powder is – I like to use a mix of sweet and spicy curry powder in mine (one rounded tsp. of each), to get a nice balance. If your curry powder is too spicy for your taste, you can use a little less than the recipe calls for, (and if you aren't sure, start with less and add more to taste). If you'd like the final dish to be a little spicier, you can add a pinch of kashmiri chile powder or cayenne pepper at the end, to taste.

This curry is great over rice, but I'm discovering my favorite way to eat it is alongside a baked sweet potato. To bake a sweet potato, scrub clean and dry thoroughly, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 50-70 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. The time will vary depending on the size of the potato, so adjust accordingly. I find ½ a potato per serving is usually good, but I always bake an extra and keep it in the fridge for leftovers, or to warm up and serve with a fried egg for breakfast the next day.

To make this dish vegan, swap the yogurt for your favorite dairy-free alternative, or some more coconut milk..
Recipe by Will Cook For Friends at https://www.willcookforfriends.com/2016/04/vegetarian-chickpea-curry-tangy-mint-yogurt-sauce.html