Buttery Chickpea Curry

Buttery Chickpea Curry

This is one of those curries we keep coming back to again and again. It's rich, creamy, and properly warming, with that buttery sauce clinging to every chickpea in the best possible way. The tempered spices at the start are everything, they fill the kitchen with this incredible smell that'll have everyone wandering in asking what's for dinner. We've made this on cold weeknights, for friends round at the weekend, honestly any excuse. Make it tonight and you will not be disappointed.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large frying pan
  • Microplane or fine grater (for garlic & ginger)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 curry leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp asafoetida
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 green chilli
  • 1 romano red pepper
  • ½ tbsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 400g tin of Polpa chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 jar of chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 50g coconut yoghurt
  • ½ lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ lemon
  • coconut yoghurt
  • 1 spring onion
  • fresh coriander
  • Plant-based Naan bread or Roti
  • 1 pack of microwave rice
  • mango chutney

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel and finely dice the onion
  • Peel and grate the garlic and ginger
  • Trim, halve, deseed and finely slice the chilli
  • Trim, halve, deseed and slice the romano pepper
2

Temper the spices

  • Warm the vegetable oil and 2 tbsp plant based butter in the frying pan over medium heat
  • Add the mustard seeds and fry them until they just start to pop (around 30-45 seconds)
  • Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, bay leaf and asafoetida (if using) and fry for 1 minute
3

Finish the base

  • Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft and beginning to turn golden
  • Add the garlic, ginger and half the chilli (reserving the rest for garnish) and fry for 30 seconds
  • Add the pepper and fry for 1 minute
  • Add the turmeric, garam masala and ground coriander and stir to combine
4

Finish the curry

  • Add the polpa tomatoes and tomato puree into the pan, stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes
  • Add the chickpeas (with the liquid from the jar) to the pan, stir to combine and leave to simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Squeeze in the lemon juice
  • Add the coconut yoghurt and remaining tbsp of plant based butter to the pan and stir into the curry for silkiness
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt, pepper and sugar (if needed)
5

Time to serve

  • Trim and finely slice the spring onion
  • Pick the coriander leaves
  • Transfer the curry into serving bowls
  • Squeeze the lemon over the top of the dish
  • Dollop and swirl a little coconut yoghurt into the curry
  • Garnish with the reserved chilli, sliced spring onion, coriander leaves and serve immediately with the bread of your choice and a dollop of mango chutney

Tips & Variations

  • Get the seeds right: When the mustard seeds start popping, that's your cue to move fast. Have your next ingredients ready to go so you don't lose that heat and end up with bitter seeds.
  • Butter matters here: Don't skip the plant-based butter. It's literally in the name and it's what gives the sauce that silky, indulgent finish. We love Naturli or Flora for this one.
  • Make it your own heat-wise: If you're cooking for people who don't love spice, use half the chilli or take the seeds out completely. If you're cooking for us, leave them in.

Why This Works

The trick here is tempering the mustard and cumin seeds in butter and oil right at the start. It wakes them up and pulls out a depth of flavour you just don't get if you add them in later. That base is what makes the whole curry taste like it's been simmering for hours, even though it's on the table in 30 minutes.