Description
Indian Butter Chickpeas is a rich and creamy vegetarian curry made with tender chickpeas simmered in a spiced tomato-based sauce enriched with butter and cream. This flavorful dish combines aromatic spices like garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander with garlic, ginger, and fresh cilantro for garnish. Perfect as a comforting main course served with rice or naan, it caters to vegetarian diets while offering a deliciously indulgent experience in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Butter Chickpeas Base
- 2 tbsp butter
- 540g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp chili powder or 1 red chili, diced
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
Finishing Touches
- 125ml heavy cream or coconut milk
- ¼ - ½ lemon juice
- Chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Saute Onion: Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat until melted. Add the diced red onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant. Then add the tomato paste along with turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder (or fresh red chili), garam masala, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to combine the spices and develop their flavors.
- Add Tomatoes: Pour in the crushed tomatoes. At this point, you may blend the sauce until smooth if you prefer a creamier texture, or leave it chunky according to your preference.
- Simmer Chickpeas: Stir in the drained chickpeas, then reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer gently for 10 minutes. This allows the chickpeas to absorb the flavors of the spiced tomato sauce.
- Finish with Cream and Lemon: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk along with the lemon juice. Warm the curry through for a couple of minutes without boiling. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with oil and use coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Adjust chili quantity to your preferred spice level.
- You can blend the tomato sauce smoothly for a creamier texture or leave it chunky depending on preference.
- Serve with basmati rice or warm naan bread for a complete meal.
- Use canned chickpeas for convenience, or cook dried chickpeas in advance.
