Cinnamon-spice chickpea curry recipe (2024)

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Cinnamon-spice chickpea curry recipe (2)

'Chole' is famous the world over. It is enjoyed at different times of the day throughout South Asia: in Lahore it is eaten for breakfast; in Punjab, it is served as a snack and referred to as chaat; in Gujarat it is treated as a main meal and eaten with bathura.

It is also the dish that first persuaded Gordon Ramsay that we could be Britain’s Best Restaurant! Chole is simple to make, and the focus is really on the balance of spices.

Ingredients

  • 3 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 4 tsp sunflower oil, plus 75ml
  • 15 g coriander seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7-8cm long)
  • 4 dried red chillies
  • 8 cloves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 6 dried Indian bay leaves
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 medium cooking onion, chopped or blended to a smooth paste
  • 4 cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin of peeled plum tomatoes, finely chopped or blended
  • 1.75 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp medium red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 3 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 4 tsp sunflower oil, plus 75ml
  • 0.5 oz coriander seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7-8cm long)
  • 4 dried red chillies
  • 8 cloves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 6 dried Indian bay leaves
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 medium cooking onion, chopped or blended to a smooth paste
  • 4 cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin of peeled plum tomatoes, finely chopped or blended
  • 1.75 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp medium red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 3 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 4 tsp sunflower oil, plus 75ml
  • 0.5 oz coriander seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7-8cm long)
  • 4 dried red chillies
  • 8 cloves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 6 dried Indian bay leaves
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 medium cooking onion, chopped or blended to a smooth paste
  • 4 cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin of peeled plum tomatoes, finely chopped or blended
  • 1.75 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp medium red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Details

  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Recipe Type: Main
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Preparation Time: 35 mins
  • Cooking Time: 35 mins
  • Serves: 4

Step-by-step

  1. Place the chickpeas in a large pan with 500ml of warm water and boil for about 5 minutes over a high heat. Remove from the heat and set aside, still in their cooking water.
  2. Heat 4 teaspoons of oil in a small pan for 30 seconds over a low heat, then stir in the coriander seeds, cinnamon, red chillies, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of the cumin seeds. Fry the spices for 5 minutes or so, until dark brown, stirring continuously so that they don't burn, then set this garam masala aside to cool.
  3. Heat the remaining 75ml of oil in a large pan for a minute over a medium heat, then add the other teaspoon of cumin seeds and fry until they start to brown. This only takes a minute or two, so be careful not to overcook or burn them. Stir the onion paste into the cumin seeds (watch out, as the oil may spit) and fry until dark brown, stirring regularly to avoid sticking or burning - I usually stir, cover the pan, and leave the mixture to cook for a minute before stirring again, repeating this 5 or 6 times until the onion is done.
  4. Crush the ginger using a pestle and mortar (or a blender), to make a fine pulp. Stir the tomatoes into the onions, followed by the ginger, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and sugar, then increase the heat to high. Stir in the chickpeas with their cooking water, along with an additional 300ml of warm water, then cover the pan and leave to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. While the chickpeas are cooking, finely grind the cooled roasted spices in a blender or with a pestle and mortar. Add to the chickpea mixture, stir, then remove the pan from the heat.
  6. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander, then cover the pan again and leave to rest for around 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Reheat over a medium heat until piping hot, then serve.

Recipe taken fromPrashad Cookbook: Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

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Cinnamon-spice chickpea curry recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does cinnamon do to curry? ›

The spices that combine tomake curry may often include cinnamon. Although chilly. coriander and cumin are inalienable to curry. Cinnamon offers a distinctive flavour imparting slight sweetness to the whole mix.

What does chickpea curry contain? ›

About Chickpea Curry

Coconut Chickpea Curry is a simple & fast one pot Indian dish of curried chickpeas made with coconut milk, tomatoes and store-bought ground spices. That said, you can absolutely change up some of the flavors of this beautiful curry.

What is a good substitute for chickpeas in curry? ›

Diced tempeh, roasted cauliflower, lentils, and firmer white beans (such as cannellini) can all work great in a soup or curry depending on the other flavors and textures. I recommend you consider the texture, flavor, and nutrition you are looking for in your soup, stew, or curry to help make the choice.

How to make curry creamier? ›

Pour coconut milk into the wok-if coconut milk has separated from the fat, pour the liquid in and add a tablespoon or so of fat until you have the creamy consistency that you desire.

What is the most important spice in curry? ›

Fenugreek (Methi)

This Indian spice is what people say "smells like curry." Of all Indian spices, this spice may be the most essential. You may use up to a few tablespoons in a family size dish near the end of the cooking process, but start with a teaspoon. Fenugreek seeds also have many health benefits.

What to do if you add too much cinnamon to curry? ›

If, however, you find you've used too much cinnamon, we know a couple of quick fixes. For savoury dishes simply add water to dilute, extra vegetables to soak up the flavour or mask it with other spices, tomatoes, garlic or onion.

Why is my chickpea curry bitter? ›

Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you've added too much fenugreek to the dish. You see, the secret to cooking a delicious curry recipe is to create a spicy paste and slowly cook it before adding your meat.

How to make chickpea curry thicker? ›

Add more or less vegetable broth based on your preferences. For example, add more vegetable broth if you like a more soupy and liquid curry. On the other hand, if you want a thicker curry, you can reduce the amount of vegetable broth or let the curry simmer for more than 30 minutes.

Is chickpea good or bad for you? ›

Chickpeas are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats and have a low GI. Potential benefits of chickpeas include helping control blood sugar, manage weight, and support heart and gut health. Chickpeas are versatile, so you can add them to many savory or sweet meals and snacks.

Are garbanzo beans and chickpeas the same thing? ›

The honest answer—there's no difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans. They're just two (of many) different names for the same type of pulse. (Pulses are basically seeds of legume plants.) The word chickpea doesn't come from chickens at all—it's an evolution of the plant's Latin name, cicer arietinum.

What is the difference between canned chickpeas and cooked chickpeas? ›

Before consumption, you have to soak them in water for a couple of hours, and then cook them for at least 45 minutes (to reduce cooking time, use an instant pot). You can then add them to different recipes and preparations. On the other hand, canned chickpeas are already pre-cooked and, most of the time, pre-seasoned.

What is better than chickpeas? ›

Since lentils have more fiber, lentils win this round. Lentils contain more protein than Chickpeas. Both chickpeas and lentils are great sources of vegetable protein. However, since lentils have more of this healthy nutrient, lentils win this round.

What cream do you use for curry? ›

Clotted cream is amazing and it doesn't just have to be used on scones! By adding it to this curry it gives it that nice creamy flavour, but I do find it very subtle so its not over powering. Funny enough it makes it almost taste like a korma but has more of a tomato flavour than coconut.

How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

How do you make curry more flavorful? ›

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

Is cinnamon used in Indian curry? ›

Cinnamon is a key ingredient in garam masala and masala chai (tea) and is one of the five basic whole spices in Indian cooking. Ground cinnamon generally has a stronger taste when put into dishes than placing the dried bark into the dish to steep whilst cooking, which releases its flavour more slowly and subtly.

What brings out the flavour of curry? ›

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

How is cinnamon used in Indian cooking? ›

Cinnamon sticks are one of the key whole spices you need for basic Indian cooking, particularly for long-simmered dishes. Cinnamon sticks are often added, along with whole cloves and green cardamom pods, when sauteing onions, garlic and ginger in oil.

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