ULTIMATE Indian Vegetarian Feast! 🍛 (Chickpea Curry, Palak Paneer, Thali Menu)

coconut milk

🥗Healthier: cashew cream

💰Cheaper: almond milk

Cashew cream adds richness while being lower in calories.

curry powder

🥗Healthier: homemade spice blend

💰Cheaper: generic curry powder

Homemade blends can be tailored for flavor and cost.

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is healthier but can be pricier.

spinach

🥗Healthier: kale

💰Cheaper: frozen spinach

Kale offers more nutrients, while frozen spinach is budget-friendly.

Soak 2 cups of dried chickpeas overnight in water.

Drain and rinse soaked chickpeas.

Put chickpeas in a pressure cooker with water and a good quantity of salt, about a heaped teaspoon, and a couple of black cardamom pods.

Cook in the pressure cooker for six whistles.

Chop 4 onions for the masala.

Heat 4-5 tablespoons of grape seed oil in a hot pan.

Add 1 heaped teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon of carum seeds to the oil and let them sizzle.

Add the chopped onions and sauté for 8-10 minutes until golden.

Prep 4-6 cloves of garlic and a good piece of ginger, then add them to the onions and cook for 1 minute.

Add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes to the pan, mix well, and add a splash of water; cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Add 2 teaspoons of turmeric, 2 teaspoons of red chili powder, 4 teaspoons of coriander powder, and 2 teaspoons of garam masala to the cooked tomato-onion mixture.

Add the cooked chickpeas to the masala and mix well.

Add more boiling water to achieve desired consistency and mash some chickpeas with a potato masher to thicken the curry.

Cook on medium heat for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary