Chickpea Coconut Curry

A warming, spicy coconut curry with richly spiced flavours.

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 large red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 250g chickpeas (or one can)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 piece fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 can (~400g) coconut milk
• 1 handful unsalted cashews or peanuts
• 2-3 dried red chillis
• 1-2 fresh green chillis
• Black mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Ground turmeric
• 1-2 dried bay leaves
• Peanut oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the rice. Heat a little peanut oil in a medium saucepan, then add mustard and cumin seeds. Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clean throughout.

2. Slice one clove of garlic into 3-4 large flat pieces and slice the dried red chillis, and add them to the pan when the mustard seeds start popping.

3. When the garlic begins to brown, add the rice, briefly stir it in the oil, and add 1.5 cups water and 1 tsp of salt.

4. Cover the saucepan and leave on high heat for around 10-15 minutes, until almost all the water has been absorbed.

5. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a large frying pan and add cumin and sliced green chillis.

6. Slice the onion and bell pepper and add them to the frying pan. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Add the chickpeas and stir them in. Clear a little space in the pan and heat some more oil, then add 1-2 tsp of turmeric and a diced garlic clove. Allow the flavours to bloom for a minute or two, then stir in to the mixture.

8. Add the can of coconut milk and the tahini. Add 2 tsp of salt and a bay leaf.

9. Heat and stir until thick and creamy.

10. Combine the rice and curry and top with sliced spring onion. Serve immediately.