Chickpea & Kale Curry without Coconut Milk

This rich and flavorful chickpea and kale curry uses Indian flavours and techniques to make a hearty meal perfect for any night of the week.

5 from 3 votes

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Servings 6 servings

Prep Time 10

Total Time 40

Ingredients

1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 yellow onion finely diced
⅛ tsp (¼ tsp) baking soda
4-6 cloves garlic finely minced
15 g (1 tbsp) ginger finely minced or grated
1-2 green chilies like serranos or jalapeños, finely minced (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp ground coriander seed
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 (400g/14oz) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
2 (400g/14oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes lightly crushed with hands (see note 1)
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
2 tsp garam masala
60 g (2 cups) kale torn from stems and roughly chopped (see note 2)
2 tbsp cilantro/coriander chopped

Instructions

Add the cumin seeds and black mustard seeds to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Set over medium-low heat and heat until the seeds smell very fragrant and begin to dance around - about 2-3 minutes depending on your stove and pot.
Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and is beginning to turn translucent - about 5 minutes.
Add the baking soda and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and browned, another 5 minutes or so.
Add the garlic, ginger, chilis and tomato paste all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and the tomato paste darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan- about a minute or two.
Stir in the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Add a generous few grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine and cook until very fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add the chickpeas and stir to coat in the onion and spice mixture. Then add the tomatoes along with 250ml (1 cup) of water (or vegetable stock). Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and come together.
Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Then, stir in the tahini, lemon juice and garam masala. Taste again, adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice if necessary.
Add the kale and stir to incorporate. Cook until wilted and tender, another 3-5 minutes. Serve with rice or naan and top with fresh cilantro.

Video

Notes

1. I recommend using whole, peeled canned tomatoes here (and in all my recipes) rather than diced or crushed tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes can vary in consistency from brand to brand and diced tomatoes are often treated with calcium chloride which can prevent them from breaking down at all when cooking.

2. Use any hearty, leafy green you'd like here. Chard will work very well, for instance. I wouldn't recommend using spinach as it is too delicate of a green and may disappear rather than add much texture to the finished dish.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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