Unlike the Chicken Pad Thai I recently attempted to make with jarred Pad Thai Sauce, vermicelli rice noodles, and chopped frozen chicken patties (it had been a day) the recipe for Chickpea Vegan Curry is fool proof, my friend. FOOL! PROOF! This gluten free and vegan recipe is not only luscious and packed with good-for-you-ingredients, but goes from cutting board to table in just 30 minutes. I can’t wait for you to try it.
Vegan Chickpea Curry
Canned chickpeas are simmered in coconut milk flavored with garlic, shallots, ginger, tomatoes, a wee bit of coconut sugar, plus red curry paste, then simmered until thickened and bubbly. Chopped spinach is stirred into the skillet then fresh lime juice is drizzled on top to wake all the flavors up. This is an INCREDIBLE meatless meal that’s quick and easy enough to whip up any night of the week.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Customize it. Like I said, this recipe is fool proof. You cannot mess it up. If you don’t like spinach, saute sliced mushrooms in the beginning with the shallots instead. Don’t like either of those? Toss in snow peas, diced cauliflower florets, frozen peas or sweet corn kernels. Use full fat or lite. I prefer using full fat coconut milk in my curries, but if you’ve only got light on hand that’s fine too. Use what’s in season. This recipe calls for chopped vine-ripened tomatoes but again, use what you’ve got. Sliced grape/cherry tomatoes work well, or even a few big scoops of canned petite-diced tomatoes will do the job. Use canned chickpeas. Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same thing. I use Bush’s garbanzo beans/chickpeas for this recipe — canned is FINE and so very convenient!
What is Red Curry Paste Made Of?
Red curry paste is simply a blend of red chili peppers, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and other spices. It’s essentially concentrated flavor in a jar. I like Thai Kitchen Red Thai Curry Paste because it’s gluten free, but you can use whatever brand you like. I find it both in my grocery store’s “health market” as well as in the regular Asian foods aisle. Please note that different brands of red curry paste can have different heat levels. Despite this brand having a “3 chili heat rating” I consider it to be mild-medium in heat. Alright, let’s cook!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by sauting chopped shallot or onion in coconut oil until it begins to soften.
Next add minced fresh garlic and ginger then saute until extremely fragrant, 2 minutes or so.
Now add a huge THWACK of that yummy red curry paste and saute until it too is extremely fragrant, just a minute or two.
Add chopped vine-ripened tomato then saute until softened, 1-2 minutes. Again, you can really use any kind of tomato you have on hand.
Next, pour in coconut milk, drained/rinsed canned chickpeas, coconut sugar, and a drizzle of gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce, though the dish will not be GF if using standard soy sauce) then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Last step is to add chopped baby spinach then simmer until softened.
Followed by a wee drizzle of fresh lime juice to liven everything up.
That’s all she wrote! If you’ve been too intimidated to try making curry at home, I hope I’ve shown you how easy it is to simmer up in a jif. Simple, packed with flavor, and too good to miss out on. I hope you love this easy coconut Chickpea Vegan Curry – enjoy!
More Easy Curry-Based Recipes
Thai Sweet Potato Curry Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Ground Pork Bowls Senegalese Soup
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