Just tried the Happy Pear chickpea curry from their cookbook! It turned out to be a steps-cut way to cook an Indian classic chickpea curry (chana masala). Not bad! Let me show you how.
I’ve cooked Indian chickpea curry before, but curry varies a lot by different spices combinations, and I always enjoying trying out other recipes, so to find the perfect way which suits our family.
Today, I opened ‘The Happy pear, Vegan Cooking For Everyone‘ cookbook and decided to make their chickpea curry, a recipe from a pair of non-Indian brothers.
Few Things Different from our Usual Indian Chickpea Curry
- No whole spices and relatively less spices are used.
- Quite a noticeable amount of tinned tomatoes and coconut milk.
- Less oil.
From my hands-on cooking experience with an Indian husband, and as an observant from my Indian mother-in-law, Indian curry requires quite a lot of oil, and also whole spices to bring out the true flavour of a curry. So I’m interested in how this seems-like westernised chickpea curry is going to taste.
It turned out that the main flavour came from tomato and coconut, with subtle spiced aroma. Not bad, still goes well with rice, but you can’t get the real kick from an authentic chana masala either.
Yet, it’s very simple and easy to make, without fetching all the spices, bouncing oil and kitchen mess, which are advantages as well.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 200 g dried chickpeas, or 1 (400 g) tinned chickpea
- (if using dry, soak overnight, pressure cook in salted water for 10 mins, release pressure naturally)
- 200 g sweet potatoes, diced
- 150 g butternut squash, diced
- 100 g frozen green beans
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ thumb-sized ginger
- 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped
- Ground spice
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 (400 g) tinned tomato
- 1 (400 g) coconut milk
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3-4 tbsp oil
- 1/2 salt
- black pepper
- small handful of fresh coriander leaves for garnish
How to Make The Happy Pear Chickpea Curry
- Grind ginger, garlic and onion in a blender until grated size. Then heat a big pot with oil on high heat, fry them and chilli until fragrant.
- Add ★spices, sweet potatoes and butternut squash, season with salt, sauteed well and cover with a lid for about 5 mins until almost cooked through. Add some cooked chickpea water if too dry.
- Then add frozen green beans, chickpeas, tinned tomato, coconut milk and soy sauce to stir well. Cook for 10-15 mins more. Have a taste and adjust. Freshly ground some more black pepper and garnish with coriander before serving.
More Cookbook Curry Recipes
- Butternut Squash Cafreal Curry with Caramelised Onions – Meera Sodha: Fresh India
- Meera Sodha’s Salmon and Spinach Curry (Easy, Quick and Mild) – Meera Sodha: Made in India
