-
Prep time
5 minutes
-
Cook time
30 minutes
-
Serves
2 with leftovers; 4 without leftovers
Author Notes
This is my streamlined riff on the chickpea curry at Cassia in Santa Monica. It’s simple to prepare, comforting, and restoring—the type of dinner I like to turn to after a long day.
A few notes:
--the lemongrass and Makrut lime leaves add a lovely flavor and fragrance to the dish, but if you don’t have them, there’s no need to make a special trip to the store. I make the dish with and without them, and it’s wonderful either way.
--for serving, I like to follow Cassia's lead and serve the curry with lots of warm naan bread. Another option is white or brown rice. —EmilyC
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
1
shallot, roughly chopped (about 1/3 cup)
-
1
2-inch piece of peeled ginger, roughly chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
-
2
garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
-
2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
-
2 tablespoons
curry powder (madras or maharajah curry recommended)
-
1
medium-sized, ripe tomato, cored and roughly chopped (can substitute 1 cup canned tomatoes)
-
Kosher salt, to taste
-
1
14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
-
2
15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-
1
lemongrass stalk, bruised with the back of a knife (optional)
-
5
makrut lime leaves (optional)
-
1 tablespoon
fish sauce, or to taste
-
Brown sugar and/or chile flakes, to taste
-
For serving: chopped cilantro to garnish; warm naan bread
Directions
-
In the bowl of a small food processor or blender, process shallot, ginger, and garlic to a fine paste. Alternating, finely mince and smear everything together with the back of a knife until a paste forms, or use a mortar and pestle.
-
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot paste. Sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. (Turn down the heat if the paste starts to brown or crisp.) Add curry powder and sauté a few minutes longer to deepen its flavor; stir frequently.
-
In the same bowl of your food processor or blender, process the fresh tomato (or canned) into a purée; you should have 3/4 cup to 1 cup. (Reserve any amount over 1 cup for another use.) Add the tomato purée to the pan and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until starting to reduce and thicken. Add a few pinches of salt.
-
Add coconut milk, chickpeas, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves (if using), fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce heat, and gently simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. (Don't rush this step; the flavor and texture benefit from this simmering time.) Taste and adjust salt. Add a few pinches of brown sugar, if needed, to balance the tangy sourness of the fish sauce. Add chile flakes if you want more kick.
-
When ready to serve, remove and discard makrut lime leaves and lemongrass. Garnish with cilantro and serve with warm naan bread.
See what other Food52ers are saying.