Indian cooking doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming.
Here’s proof.
If you’re comfortable with chopping, you can have this chickpea curry on the table in about 25 minutes, for roughly £3 for four servings.
Start by heating a little vegetable oil in a large pan. Add a teaspoon of cumin and, once it begins to sizzle, stir in a quarter teaspoon of turmeric, one and a half teaspoons of coarsely ground coriander seeds and up to one and a half teaspoons of mild chilli powder. Be cautious with the chilli: some powders are much hotter than others, so reduce the amount if needed.
Work quickly, stirring the spices so they don’t burn. Then add a chopped red onion, four minced garlic cloves and a 2.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped.
Use a generous bunch of fresh coriander — supermarket forced pots usually lack flavour and volume. A large bunch from an Asian grocer is ideal. Wash it thoroughly to remove grit.
The most flavorful part is the stalks: chop them finely and add them to the pan. Stir for a minute, season well with salt, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the vegetables sweat gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the sauce, drain a 400g can of tomatoes and add them to the pan. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the tomatoes until they melt into a rich sauce.
Drain and rinse a 400g can of chickpeas under running water, then add them to the sauce. Stir and let the chickpeas warm through for a few minutes. Finish with a large handful of chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or chapatis.
Cheap, tasty, quick and simple — just be mindful of the chilli level.
This recipe is from My Kitchen: Real Food from Near and Far (New Voices in Food).