How to Make a Vegan Chickpea Curry | Oil-free and Gluten-free

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 3 cups of dried chickpeas overnight.

After soaking, the chickpeas will double in size.

Boil the soaked chickpeas in a pot until soft, skimming off any foam that accumulates to prevent bitterness and potential explosion.

Once the chickpeas are soft, drain and set aside.

Prepare the other ingredients: chop the onion and garlic, and gather the curry leaves, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, mustard seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt.

Heat a non-stick pan until hot, then add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and allow them to pop.

Add the curry leaves, chopped onion, and garlic to the pan and dry fry until they develop some color.

Deglaze the pan with a bit of water.

Add the boiled chickpeas, canned tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder, sugar, and salt to the pan.

Stir in the tomato paste and mix well.

Add about 1.5 cups of water and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes, topping up with water if needed.

For a dry curry, allow it to reduce; for a gravy curry, add more water and do not let it reduce completely.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary