I'm blessed to live with an authentic Indian who teaches the Indian cooking classes at OUSA. I get one-on-one lessons when we flat cook, so I’ve come to master this curry business.
As my first appearance in Critic, I’m going to share with you my ultimate crowd-pleaser meal. I wanted to give you something you can make for the flat that’s cheap, hearty and fancy enough to make it seem like you put in more effort than you did.
Chole is Indian for chickpeas. The fusion with coconut cream is a South Indian trait. Without even trying, this also happens to be a vegetarian/vegan-friendly meal. The flavour is all from the spice mix! Add those chillis if you like the heat. My fave mix is King Masala, which you can buy from the Indian store. One time I ran out and I compromised by using the packet flavouring from Korean instant noodles. It might have been the MSG, but it worked! Don’t be scared — try it with your own leftover noodle flavourings at home.
Ingredients
Serves four big appetites.
- dash of oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- cumin seeds
- mustard seeds (if you have any)
- 2 cans of tomatoes
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp spice mix (garam masala/King Masala/noodle mix)
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- chilli — fresh, flakes or powder (optional)
- 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ can of coconut cream
- 1 cup veges (frozen beans or a stir-fry mix will do)
Method
- Splash the oil in a heated pot and add the onions, garlic and a good sprinkle of seeds. Sauté until golden but don’t let them burn.
- Add tomatoes, salt and spices. Stir and simmer to reduce the tomato juice. It should be orange coloured from the turmeric.
- Add the chickpeas and cook until they are tender.
- Add coconut cream, stir, then add the vegetables. Keep it on the heat for a few more minutes.
- Serve with rice. Garnish with fresh coriander.