Spiced Chickpea Curry With Stewed Peppers & Zucchini

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Rich, aromatic, and healthy, this spiced chickpea curry is served on a bed of warm basmati rice and flavoured with a blend of Caribbean inspired spices. It's an easy recipe to cook and ideal for a quick vegetarian meal during the week.

Exploring Vegetarian & Plant-Based Cuisine

Every once in a while, we like to cook vegetarian or plant-based recipes at home. It encourages us to try new foods from around the world, explore ingredients we may not otherwise use, and of course, incorporate healthy recipes into our everyday meals.

It's a great way to expose our kids to new foods and get them to try new flavours and textures, even if they don't end up liking everything we try!

So, we were thrilled to feature this vegetarian recipe from Chefs Plate with you all. This spiced chickpea curry is served with basmati rice, but you can easily enjoy it with some warmed naan, or pita bread as well!

Simple Yet Delicious

One of the easiest vegetarian recipes you can cook when experimenting with vegetarian cooking is a simple chickpea curry.

Loaded with protein, a variety of healthy spices, and of course vegetables, chickpea curries are an easy way to start cooking plant-based meals at home, and it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare!

If you find yourself missing specific ingredients, you can easily substitute your favourite spices or vegetables, and simply adjust the cooking times accordingly. Keep in mind harder vegetables like carrots take longer to cook than soft ones like bell peppers for example.

Making Chickpea Curry At Home

Let's get right to it shall we!? To make this spiced chickpea curry at home, you'll need:

• 1 19oz can canned chickpeas
• ¾ cup Basmati Rice
• 1 ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon oil or butter
• 1 medium bell pepper (any colour will do!)
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 small yellow onion
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 whole lime - zest and juice
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
• 4 tablespoon mild curry paste
• ⅔ cups canned coconut milk
• 3 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro
• salt
• pepper

- Start by cooking the basamti rice with 1 ¼ cup of water in a medium sized pot. Bring the water to a boil, season with a pinch of salt, and then add the rice. Once the pot comes back to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 12- 15 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and keep warm until ready to serve.

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Click here to read more about cooking basmati rice on the stove top.

-While the rice is cooking on the stove, cut the onion into small ¼ inch pieces. Then, cut the bell pepper and zucchini into ½ inch pieces. Set the chopped vegetables aside. Roughly chop the garlic, then zest and juice half the lime. Cut the remaining lime into small wedges.

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-Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the peppers start to soften. Mix in the curry paste and cook, stirring often for about 30 seconds to gently toast the spices.

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-Add the canned chickpeas (including the liquid), coconut milk, and soy sauce to the pot. If you like a little heat in your curry, add the chili flakes at this point. You can add less than the listed amount for a milder curry.

-Simmer the chickpea curry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are heated through. As the curry simmers, chop the cilantro leaves, then the remaining cilantro stems, keeping them separate.

-Remove the chickpea curry from the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Take the cooked basmati rice and mix in the chopped cilantro stems, and lime zest. Serve the finished chickpea curry over top of the scented rice, and garnish with the chopped cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

Do Some Meal Prep & Cook A Large Batch!

While the recipe above only makes a small batch, (enough for about 2 adults), the recipe is easily multiplied and can be used to meal prep larger batches.

Can You Freeze Chickpea Curry?

Yes! The chickpea curry freezes quite well, though it should be noted the vegetables will be very soft after thawing and heating again. Portion the cooled chickpea curry into appropriate containers and store in the freezer.

Try and freeze large batches in small portions to make re-heating easier!

Can You Substitute Ingredients in the Chickpea Curry?

The great thing about chickpea curries is how easily you can substitute ingredients. Not a fan of coconut milk? Try using another full-fat plant based milk (or even dairy milk). No curry paste in the fridge? Make your own curry spice, or use a store-bought blend.

Even the vegetables can be substituted for whatever you have in the fridge. Try the recipe with carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, or eggplant!

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