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chickpea curry.

Steph’s Chickpea Curry with Spinach and Rice


  • Author: Lindsay
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Amazingly creamy, saucy chickpea curry served over rice with a dollop of chili crisp and a side of cucumber salad. Ready in 20 minutes!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (more to taste)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste (currently loving Maesri or Thai Kitchen brand)
  • one 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • one 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 23 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, uncooked

Instructions

  1. Cook rice according to package directions.
  2. Heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and curry paste; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the brown sugar, coconut milk, and soy sauce. Bring to a low simmer until thickened slightly.
  4. Add chickpeas, spinach, and cilantro; cook until chickpeas are heated through and spinach is wilted. Mash the chickpeas ever so slightly with the back of a wooden spoon if you want to change up the texture and make it more creamy.
  5. Taste and adjust to your liking – we often add a squeeze of lime or some extra ginger or lemongrass, but it’s really not necessary. The flavor is totally there even with the most basic ingredient list. Serve over rice with a dollop of chili crisp (affiliate link) and a side of pickled cucumber salad if you want (and I promise you do want this – see notes). Top with more cilantro, if you want! 

Notes

For the pickled cucumber salad, thinly slice 3 small cucumbers and a small chunk of red onion on a mandoline. Toss sliced cucumbers and red onion with 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Let them hang out for 20-30 minutes (more if you have time) and just serve with the curry! So good. My kids love these, too!

1 1/2 cups of rice will give you a bit more than you technically need – it’s 4 hearty portions or 6 regular portions. We always use this amount, though, because my girls often want to eat the rice plain, and I’d rather have a bit of extra rice instead of not enough rice!

If your sauce is too runny, this is likely because of the brand of coconut milk. Typically when I use Asian brands of coconut milk (Aroy D or Chaokoh) I do not have this issue, and the sauce consistently turns out thick and luscious and creamy, almost like a gravy. If you find yourself with a runny sauce, just whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch into one tablespoon of cold water and add it to the bubbling sauce in the pan. Within a minute or two of gentle heat, you’ll see it start to thicken up. Works like a charm.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Saute
  • Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Keywords: chickpea curry, curry recipe, vegetarian curry