Spinach Chickpea Coconut Curry

Equipment

• ✓ Heavy saucepan
• ✓ Chef’s knife
• ✓ Chopping board
• ✓ Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• ✓ Fine-mesh strainer
• ✓ Kitchen scale
• ✓ Measuring jug
• ✓ Serving ladle

Ingredients

• For the Curry Base
• 30 ml neutral cooking oil
• 150 g onion, finely diced
• 15 g fresh ginger, grated
• 15 g garlic, minced
• 5 g cumin seeds
• 6 g ground coriander
• 4 g ground cumin
• 3 g turmeric powder
• 3 g chilli powder
• 5 g garam masala
• For the Curry
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• 480 g cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 200 g fresh spinach
• 6 g fine salt, or to taste
• 10 ml fresh lemon juice
• To Finish
• 15 g fresh coriander, chopped
• Fresh chilli, sliced, optional
• Lemon wedges

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Cook the tomato base thoroughly before adding liquid for better flavour.
Do not burn the ground spices; add a small splash of water if the pan becomes too dry.
Add spinach near the end so it retains colour and freshness.
Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture.
The finished sauce should be creamy and spoonable, not excessively thick.
Add lemon juice only near the end to brighten the curry.

Ingredient choices: Use cooked chickpeas rather than dried ones added directly to the sauce. Wash and drain spinach well; excess washing water changes the sauce consistency. Ground spices should smell fresh, while the coconut milk should be unsweetened and shaken or stirred before measuring.

Cooking control: Cook onion, ginger and garlic before adding the ground spices and tomato. Let the tomato base reduce enough to lose its raw edge. Simmer chickpeas before folding in spinach near the end so the leaves wilt without turning dull and stringy.

If something goes wrong: If the curry is watery, reduce the sauce before adding the spinach. If the leaves have already gone in, remove a portion of sauce to reduce separately rather than boiling everything hard. Balance a heavy coconut finish with lemon in small additions.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Chickpeas → cooked butter beans
• ↔ Fresh spinach → frozen spinach
• ↔ Coconut milk → unsweetened plant-based cooking cream
• ↔ Chopped tomatoes → tomato passata
• ↔ Fresh coriander → parsley
• ↔ Lemon juice → lime juice
• ↔ Chilli powder → mild paprika
• ↔ Vegetable stock → water with appropriate seasoning

Food Safety & Doneness

Drain and rinse canned chickpeas thoroughly before use.
Cook the tomato base until the raw flavour has disappeared.
Heat chickpeas thoroughly before service.
Spinach should be wilted and fully heated.
Keep opened coconut milk refrigerated.
Hold cooked curry hot for service or cool promptly before refrigeration.
Reheat stored curry until piping hot throughout.

Serving & Plating

Serve in a warm shallow bowl.

Keep chickpeas visible on the surface.

Finish with fresh coriander and optional sliced chilli.

Serve with basmati rice or flatbread.

Add a fresh lemon wedge on the side.

Serve in a deep bowl with rice or flatbread. Stir gently before portioning so one serving does not receive all the spinach and another mostly sauce.

Storage

Cool promptly and refrigerate in a covered food-safe container.

Use within 3 days for best quality.

Reheat gently until piping hot throughout.

Add a small amount of vegetable stock or coconut milk if the curry becomes too thick.

The curry can be frozen for approximately 2 months.

Nutrition & Dietary Information

Carbohydrates: 45 g

Fat: 24 g

Allergens: No major allergen is inherently required, but check coconut milk, vegetable stock and packaged spices for declared allergens or cross-contact.

Approximate nutrition per serving:

Calories: ~430 kcal
Protein: ~14 g
Carbohydrates: ~45 g
Fat: ~24 g
Fibre: ~11 g

Values are approximate and vary depending on coconut milk, chickpeas and portion size.