Let’s just break this recipe down real quick. There are thousands of curry recipes on the web and if you’ve ever tried a few you’ve probably notice how similar they all are. It’s an easy formula, and if you know the basis, you can build your own curry recipe with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Simple as that!
Choose your main hearty vegetables like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, or potatoes. You can also add meat, obviously, but since I was making a vegan version I went with sweet potatoes and chickpeas. To add a little bit of texture, I roasted them in the oven until they were super crispy and used them as topping.
Sautee the aromatics: this step is so important, because it’s where a lot of the flavour comes from. Add onions, garlic, and tomatoes and cook gently until they’re fragrant and soft. I usually add canned diced tomatoes (fire roasted adds a deeper flavour), and for this recipe I also added fire roasted bell peppers. They’re a great way of adding colour and sweetness to a dish, and amplifying the flavours.
Simmer and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Add the coconut milk (or heavy cream) and you’re done! Taste and salt at every step, making adjustments as you go. Add a lot(!!!) of fresh herbs and serve.
And that takes about 30 minutes. A super quick, healthy, and comforting weeknight dinner!
Sweet Potato Curry with Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 16 oz roasted bell pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- Make the crispy chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 425°. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Gently pat them dry with paper towel.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp paprika powder, and salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until crispy.
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes and finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high. Add onion and garlic, sautee for 3-4 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the roasted bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp curry, 1/2 tsp paprika powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sweet potatoes and water. Turn down the heat, simmer and cook until sweet potatoes are soft, 15-20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the chopped cilantro, top with crispy chickpeas and serve.
Tips & Tricks: To make it spicy add 1 tsp chilli powder. Best served over rice (1 serving = 1/2 cup uncooked rice)
