Chickpea and Pea Curry with Grated Coconut
A truly comforting dish, this curry is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor thanks to its generous blend of spices and the mild, sweet taste of coconut. The base of the sauce is made from onion, garlic, tomatoes, and cream (or coconut milk for a vegan option). Blending the sauce with grated coconut creates a thick and flavorful consistency. It’s very easy to prepare if you have around 30-40 minutes.
Ingredients (for 4 generous servings)
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- A small piece of fresh ginger
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes (400g)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 40g grated coconut
- 150ml cream (or coconut milk for vegans)
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon omani masala (a spice mix with black pepper, cilantro, cumin, fennel, coriander seeds, cardamom, and chili)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 400g frozen peas
- 400g cooked chickpeas
- Fresh cilantro
- Ghee (or olive oil for vegans)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a deep pan with 1 generous tablespoon of ghee. Once fully cooked and golden, add the chopped bell pepper.
- When it’s golden, incorporate the pressed garlic, chopped ginger, and all the spices. Let everything brown slightly, then add the tomatoes and sugar.
- Cover and let it cook until it turns orange.
- Add the grated coconut and let it hydrate over low heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer everything to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the paste back into the pan, add the cream (or coconut milk) and a little water to dilute it.
- Add the chickpeas and peas, and let them warm up for about 10-15 minutes on low heat with a lid.
- Just before serving, stir in fresh cilantro
- Serve with rice or naan.
