Chickpea Curry Recipe

Chickpea Curry in karahi bowl with brown rice and chickpeas and curry leaves around it.

5 from 90 votes

This south Indian style Chickpea Curry with coconut milk and spices like fennel seed and cardamom is aromatic and so delicious! It is also super easy and healthy.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Curry

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 153kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Spice grinder (or blender)
Large saute pan (or saucepan)

Ingredients

4 cups chickpeas (canned or boiled. Drain before adding to recipe)
1 teaspoon coconut oil (or any neutral oil of choice)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 medium onion (finely diced)
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or crush together 4 pieces garlic and a 1-inch knob of ginger)
2 medium tomatoes (finely diced)
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup full fat coconut milk
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
Salt to taste

For masala powder or spice mix:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon methi seeds
2 pods green cardamom pods
½ inch cinnamon stick

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make a powder of all of the masala ingredients in a spice grinder or a blender. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a saute pan or saucepan. Add cumin seeds. When they sputter, add the onions, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste.
Sprinkle some salt and saute, over medium heat until onions turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes, paprika, cayenne, turmeric, and the spice mix.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes darken and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the chickpeas and salt and stir well to mix. Add 1½ cups of water.
Bring the chickpea curry to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and let it warm through.
Check salt and add more if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot..

Video

Notes

If using canned chickpeas, drain the chickpeas and rinse them for best flavor.
If using dry chickpeas, soak a cup of chickpeas overnight, then cook until tender. An Instant Pot or pressure cooker is best, but you can do it on the stovetop as well.
To thicken the curry mash a few chickpeas with the ladle.
To meal-prep, make a large batch of the chickpea curry spice mix and keep it in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months. Keeping a jar of ginger garlic paste in the refrigerator makes it far easier to make curries on weeknights. Here's my recipe for an easy ginger garlic paste that I make in five minutes on a weekend.
This chickpea curry tastes great fresh but it is even better the next day when the spices, coconut milk and chickpeas have had a chance to blend. You can store the curry in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for longer-term storage. Thaw and reheat before serving.

Nutrition