Tomatillo Chickpea Curry

 

I just love it when supper is something to get excited about. This one, which I found while perusing Pinterest, was wonderful, a relatively simple, plant-based concoction with lots of flavor and a healthy nutritional profile. A bit of broiling (or grilling if they weather still allows it) gives some delicious vegetables some depth of flavor and the whole saucy combination is so satisfying.

The star of this chickpea-based curry dish is a perky and zesty green sauce made from roasted tomatillos and poblano chile. The tart and acidic tomatillos make up a thick puree that’s spiced up by the chile and enhanced by fresh cilantro and oregano. This spicy-sour sauce is a great accompaniment for starchy, creamy chickpeas, but they also get a bit of earthy curry powder and some sweet and creamy coconut milk. The whole thing goes over rice, which not only soaks up the delicious sauce, but also builds a complete protein with the chickpeas.

 The flavors of this dish are actually somewhat complex, but the process of creating them is relatively simple. The methods here can serve as an introduction to making saucy, stewy curries with deep flavors without requiring so many ingredients or complicated methods. This is still a practical dish to make for a weeknight supper. And since the leftovers are easy to pack up and reheat, lunch can be something to get excited about, too.

Tomorrow, October 1^st, is World Vegetarian Day, and this would be a great dish with which to celebrate that. You don’t have to be vegetarian (I’m not) to love these flavors or benefit from such a healthy and satisfying meal. This particular recipe is not about replacing animal products, but enjoying plant-based ones in a delicious combination. Something to get excited about indeed!

Roasted Tomatillo and Chickpea Curry

Adapted from Chef de Home

6 medium-size tomatillos

1 medium-size poblano chile

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

3 cups cooked chickpeas (about 2 15-ounce cans), divided

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/3 cup coconut milk

1 cup water

1-2 limes, sliced for garnish if desired

1. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and scrub off the sticky residue. Preheat the broiler or a gas or charcoal grill. Broil or grill the tomatillos and the poblano chile until the tomatillos are charred and soft and the skin of the pepper is charred all over.

2. Remove from the oven and place the tomatillos in the bowl of a food processor. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel of the thin layer of charred skin. Remove the stem and seeds and chop the remaining flesh coarsely. Add to the food processor with the tomatillos.

3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, cilantro, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. Pour into a medium-size saucepan and place over low heat to warm through. Stir occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, add ½ cup chickpeas to the food processor (no need to clean it out first.) Pulse until well-mashed.

5. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the curry powder and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add ½ cup of the warm tomatillo sauce. Cook and stir about 2 minutes.

6. Add the mashed and whole chickpeas, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. Taste and adjust seasoning, especially salt, as desired. Serve over rice with additional tomatillo sauce and a lime wedge to squeeze over it if desired.

Makes about 6 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Chickpea and Spinach Curry, Winter Squash and Onion Curry with Yogurt Sauce, Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

One year ago: Mozzarella and Olive Baked Pasta