I love stews and if they are fragrant with delicious spices that’s even better. This “curry” is a speedy fragrant stew with a tomato and coconut base. I make it with chickpeas or a ixture of chickpeas and white beans but you could use other beans if you prefer. Variety is the spice of life and all that. The spinach adds a good green boost to the meal as well as another texture and flavour of course. Try it – I’m sure you will enjoy!

Malin x

Speedy Chickpea and Spinach Curry

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 / 150 g brown onion

3 large cloves / 45 g  garlic

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp garam masala

A pinch of chili flakes, to taste

1 tin / 400 g chopped tomatoes

1 tin / 400 ml coconut milk

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tins /460 g (drained) chickpeas

150 g fresh baby spinach

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Serve with:

4 servings of rice, I used white basmati

A large handful salted peanuts

A handful fresh coriander

METHOD:

Cook your rice according to package instructions.

Heat the oil in an enamel coated dutch oven or pot. Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds. Temper the seeds in the oil for a few minutes until they are very fragrant, a darker brown than when you started and shimmering in the oil.

In the meantime slice the onion into halfmoons (or chop if you prefer). Add the onion into the pot when the seeds are looking good. Sauté the onions for a few minutes until they soften and start going translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Then add the tomato paste and fry that off in the pan for a couple of minutes, stirring it around. Add the curry powder, garam masala and chili flakes and stir it through the other ingredients in the pot.

Pour in the tinned tomatoes, coconut milk and crumble in the stock cube. Mix well as you bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes to marry the flavours in the sauce. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

Add your chickpeas and cook until warmed through. Take the curry off the heat (or leave on very low heat) and stir through the fresh spinach. Keep mixing the spinach through the sauce until it wilts and turns bright green, this only takes a couple of minutes.

Serve the curry over rice. Top with fresh coriander leaves and peanuts. If you wish you can crush the peanuts roughly in a pestle and mortar before sprinkling them over the dish.

20 minute meal chickpea curry dinner easy lunch quick spinach