"Meaty" Vegetarian Chickpea and Coconut Curry

This is a bloody good veggie curry - very filling and naturally rich in flavour.

1 tablespoon chopped coconut pieces (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoon cooking oil or butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 brown cardamom pod (optional)

1 red chilli, dried (or 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder)

1 fresh tomato chopped or 1/4 carton of pasata

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 inch root ginger, crushed into paste

2 tablespoon grated/dessicated coconut

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (or cumin seeds) (optional)

1 small potato, peeled and chopped

1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

1. Heat oil in a deep saucepan, maintaining low to medium heat, fry the chopped coconut pieces. When they begin to turn brown remove from heat set aside.

2. Add onion and garlic, on medium heat and fry until onions start becoming golden. Add mustard seeds, cardamom pod, red chilli broken and fry for a couple of minutes.

3. Add chopped tomato or pasata and fry for about 5 minutes.

4. Add garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder(or seeds), crushed ginger and fry for a 3 minutes. Add the grated coconut, mix well, cover and cook for about 3 minutes.

5. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and stir. Then add the chickpeas, potato, fried coconut and mix. Mash some chickpeas, cover and simmer on medium heat for about 20-30 minutes. Chickpeas should be tender but still whole. Add salt to taste.

6. Remove from heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes or so. Serve with rice

Alternate method to prepare chickpeas.

1. Take 1 cup large dry chickpeas and steep in water overnight. 

2. Cook chickpeas in pressure cooker with 2 tablespoon grated coconut.

3. Add the contents above in step 5.