A steadfast favourite in my collection of recipes; it can be made in 20 minutes and it does not hold back on flavour. I’m rather partial to food that you can ‘scoop’ with no requirement of a knife, which can feel a little too formal at times. I like cosy, nourishing, curl up on the sofa and eat from a bowl kind of meals; this recipe certainly ticks all those boxes. The chickpeas are a wonderful option to include some fibre and plant-based protein and they’re also a good source of selenium, B vitamins and choline, which helps to support brain health. Being a member of the brassica family, kale provides beneficial phytochemicals to promote a healthy liver, and is a rich source of additional nutrients including magnesium, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. I like to spoon the masala over a bowl of white basmati or hearty short grain brown rice, which has a delicious nutty bite.
cooking time: 25 minutes serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
- 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
- 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 50g cavolo nero or another kale variety, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- a handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- (reserve some for garnish)
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons light brown soft sugar or coconut palm sugar
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- salt
- black pepper
To Finish
- Fresh coriander
- Nigella seeds
METHOD
- Cook your chosen rice according to the packet instructions. (approx. 40 minutes for short-grain brown and 10-12 minutes for basmati)
- Warm the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli, cook for a few minutes until they become fragrant.
- Add the garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric and chilli powder, give the spices a quick stir around the pan and then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, sugar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the coconut milk, bring the heat up to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes, letting the flavours meld. Add the fresh coriander and the kale and cook for a few minutes until it starts to wilt down.
- Serve into bowls with some rice and finish with some fresh coriander and a sprinkling of nigella seeds.
