Chickpea & Veg Coconut Curry

This curry has bright and delicate flavours, unlike the spice laden curries we usually know of. It's finished with a flavourful crispy topping also known as chhonk, giving the dish a roasty toasty kick. The dish can be eaten in all seasons, no matter the weather, just use whatever seasonal hard veg there is, and enjoy!

Cooking/prep time: 30-40 minutes

Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or any other oil you have)

• 1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 3 whole cloves

• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1 green chilli, sliced optional

• 2 shallots, sliced

• 2 cups (400g) cooked chickpeas,

  drained and rinsed

• 1 1/2 cups any hard veg, cut up into bite size pieces (pumpkin,

  cauliflower, potato...)

• 500ml veg stock

• 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 250ml coconut milk

• 1 tsp fish sauce or light soy sauce

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or more, for

  garnish optional

• salt

  optional Chhonk topping:

• 4 tbsp oil

• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds

• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds

• 1/3 tsp chilli flakes or 1 whole

  dried chilli

• 1/4 cup fresh curry leaves

Method:

1. In a pot on medium high heat, add oil and mustard seeds. Cook mustard seeds until they begin to pop.

2. Turning the heat down to medium, add the rest of the spices to the pot, stir until they become fragrant. 15-20 seconds. Make sure to not burn the spices, it will turn your stew bitter.

3. Add in the tomato paste, chilli and shallots, cook until the shallots become translucent, and the tomato paste darkens (if at this point the mix looks too dry, add a splash of water). Then add the chickpeas and veg to pot and coat them with the spices, season with salt.

4. Pour the veg stock and apple cider vinegar into the pot and turn the heat up to high, let it come to a boil.

5. When it comes to a rolling boil, add the coconut milk and keep the mixture boiling. The stew will reduce; it is done when the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, this should take 15-20 minutes.

6. To finish off the stew, stir in the fish sauce, taste, and season with salt, top with fresh parsley and chhonk.

Chhonk:

1. In a pan on medium high heat, add oil, fennel seeds, nigella and chilli. Cook the spices until they become fragrant. You will see the fennel seeds turn the slightest bit golden. When this happens, add the curry leaves and remove the pan from the heat straight away, they will pop and blister, and the oil will splatter.