Tomato Chickpea Curry

Tomato Chickpea Curry

This is one of those curries we keep coming back to again and again, especially on a weeknight when we want something that feels proper and satisfying but isn't going to have us chained to the stove for hours. The tomatoes break down into this gorgeous, rich, slightly tangy sauce that wraps around the chickpeas and just gets better the longer it sits. We love how the warmth of the spices builds slowly without being aggressive, so it's comforting rather than challenging. Honestly, from chopping board to table in 45 minutes, and it tastes like something you'd order at your favourite local. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Microplane grater
  • Large pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 banana shallots
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 30g fresh ginger
  • 10g coriander stalks
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400g tin of tinned tomatoes
  • 2 400g tins of chickpeas
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp asafoetida
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 50g tahini
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 15g fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 lime
  • water (to loosen)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 10g coriander leaves

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel the shallots and finely dice
  • Peel the garlic and ginger (also do the garlic and ginger for the tahini drizzle) and grate with the microplane to form a puree
  • Pick the coriander leaves and finely dice the stems
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas
  • Prepare the vegetable stock
2

Start the curry

  • Warm the olive oil in the pan over medium to low heat, add the shallots and a pinch of salt and fry for 4-5 minutes until soft and golden
  • Add the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the cumin, ground coriander, asafoetida, chilli powder and turmeric and stir into the mixture
  • Add the tomato puree and stir to combine
  • Add the tinned tomatoes and veg stock and stir to combine (if you’re using plum tomatoes, break them up with the back of a spoon)
  • Put the lid on the pan and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent catching
3

Make the drizzle

  • Add the tahini, 50ml water, garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, salt and juice from ½ lime and stir to combine
4

Finish the curry

  • Remove the lid, add the chickpeas and the aquafaba (if using organic chickpeas), fold to combine, reduce the heat and simmer for a further 10 minutes with the lid off
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper
5

Time to serve

  • Generously spoon the tahini drizzle over the curry, garnish with the reserved coriander leaves and serve immediately with naan, brown rice, quinoa or a nice big salad

Tips & Variations

  • Double up for later: This curry only gets better the next day as the flavours deepen, so we'd always recommend making a big batch and keeping leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
  • Spice it your way: If you like heat, add a finely chopped fresh chilli in with the shallots. If you're cooking for people who prefer it milder, just hold back on any chilli and let the warming spices do the talking.
  • Serve it right: We love this with fluffy basmati rice, but it's also brilliant scooped up with warm flatbreads. A dollop of coconut yoghurt on top works really well if you want something cooling alongside.

Why This Works

The trick here is taking your time with the shallots at the start. Frying them low and slow with that pinch of salt means they get properly soft and sweet before the spices go in, and that sweetness is what balances the acidity of the tomatoes later on. The grated garlic and ginger puree is also a game changer compared to just roughly chopping them. It melts right into the sauce and the flavour goes everywhere.