Melting Afghan chickpea curry – RecipeTin Eats


Named as such as a result of the chickpeas are so meltingly creamy, this can be a recipe impressed by a chickpea curry I had from Afghan Sufra in Lakemba, an space of Sydney identified for its great Center Jap and sub-continental meals scene. I’m obsessed!

Afghani Chickpea Curry in a bowl over rice

Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry

Right now’s recipe is impressed by a chickpea curry I had from an informal eatery known as Afghan Sufra in Lakemba. Recognized for its genuine Afghan meals, I used to be drawn in by the odor of smoky grilled meats and walked out with a beneficiant unfold of takeaway – for analysis, in fact!

In amongst the loot was a chickpea curry that got here with a big flatbread – unbelievable worth at $10, sufficient to feed two generously, if not three. I loved the flavour of it a lot I turned fixated on recreating it. And right here it’s!

Afghani Chickpea Curry

Why I really like this Afghan chickpea curry a lot

To be trustworthy, all through the creation course of, the recipe diverged from the unique – my sauce is thicker reasonably than watery, I take advantage of much less oil, and I cheat with canned chickpeas so I could make it on demand. However the spirit of the Afghan flavours are there, and distinguishable from different generic curries ( what I imply!)

You’ll love how the sauce is thickened naturally utilizing dried lentils cooked till they break down, and the neat trick to make the chickpeas superbly creamy with only a pinch of baking soda. Two methods I learnt from this Parkistani Lahori Chanay recipe from Sugar Spice & Extra on which this recipe relies. Although, the spicing ratios I created just about the chickpea curry in Parwana, a beautiful Afghan cookbook by Durkhanai Ayubi, and plenty of “debates” with JB (see FAQ under for tales!).

I do know this can be a bizarre photograph, nevertheless it’s my try at proof of creamy chickpeas – so comfortable you possibly can “smear” them with the again of a spoon:

Afghani Chickpea Curry
Proof of creamy chickpeas!

Substances in Afghan chickpea curry

Right here’s what you have to make this. Simply drop by your native grocery retailer!

1. THE Spices

As a result of we’re utilizing a mixture of spices, it means you possibly can substitute and nonetheless find yourself with a tasty meal, even when the flavour will not be precisely what it was supposed to be. Useful!

  • Cinnamon sticks (oops, photograph under! 🙂 )- Sticks reasonably than powder kind of perfumes sauces in a extra delicate manner, particularly once you toast it within the oil like we do right here. When you don’t have sticks, cinnamon powder can be utilized as a substitute. Simply add it with the opposite powdered spices.

  • Coriander and cumin powder – Certainly one of these might be substituted with both Garam Masala (higher) or curry powder (like Clives, Keens – simply common western manufacturers). When you do each although, it’s an excessive amount of.

  • Cardamom powder and floor cloves – Certainly one of these might be substituted with all spice or blended spice.

  • Turmeric powder – Substitute with a small quantity of saffron powder (imitation is ok) plus ginger powder.

Observe: I’ve seen variations of Afghan curries name for complete reasonably than floor cardamom and cloves. However for the sake of comfort and to make this midweek pleasant, I’ve opted for powder. Choosing out little cardamom pods and cloves or twiddling with spice sachets is past my attain on Mondays! Cinnamon sticks although, we will handle. 🙂

2. THE CURRY

Ingredients in Afghani Chickpea Curry
  • Dried crimson cut up lentils – Crimson lentils cook dinner quicker than different varieties, and cut up crimson lentils cook dinner even quicker (as a result of they’re actually the lentils cut up in half). They solely take 10 minutes to cook dinner however we intentionally overcook them right here with a complete simmer time of 45 minutes in order that they breakdown and thicken the sauce naturally.

    See expandable field under for utilizing different kinds of dried lentils / cut up peas.

  • Chickpeas – I take advantage of canned for comfort, as I’ve been making this as a mid-weeker. To make use of dried, use 1 1/2 cups (250g), as soon as cooked this equates to round 3 cans of chickpeas.

  • Baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) – The magic ingredient that makes these chickpeas meltingly tender and creamy inside! It’s magical. 🙂 We solely use 1/4 teaspoon in an enormous pot of curry, a tiny quantity you received’t be capable of style.

  • Ghee – A clarified butter generally utilized in Indian and Center Jap cooking for its wealthy buttery flavour and excessive smoke level. Offered at giant grocery shops right here in Australia lately. Substitute in a pinch with butter or coconut oil.

  • Ginger and garlic – Contemporary, for max flavour impression! Finely grated.

  • Bay leaves – Ideally recent although dry is completely nice.

  • Vegetable inventory – The liquid for simmering. I attempted with water and it was okay…..however I felt it was lacking physique.

Different kinds of dried lentils / cut up peas


The way to make Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry

A pleasant, easy recipe. There’s a complete simmer time of 45 minutes nevertheless it’s low upkeep, you don’t want to fret about stirring.

  1. Toast cinnamon sticks – Soften the ghee (or butter) then toast the cinnamon sticks. This brings out the flavour and flavours the ghee too.

  2. Sauté – Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Prepare dinner for 3 minutes till the onion is translucent. Maintain it shifting so the garlic and ginger doesn’t catch.

  1. Spices and lentils – Subsequent, add the spices and toast them for 30 seconds, then in go the lentils. Stir to coat them in all of the tasty spice flavour. Proper about now, you’re onto one thing actually tasty!

  2. Simmer lentils – Add the inventory and salt. Stir nicely and simmer for quarter-hour with the lid on.

  1. Chickpeas – Then add the chickpeas, water and bakings soda. Simmer for an extra half-hour with the lid off.

  2. Able to serve! Throughout this second simmer time, the baking soda will work its magic and switch the chickpeas into essentially the most creamy chickpeas you’ve ever had, and the lentils will breakdown to thicken the sauce. It is going to be like a thick soup consistency, not as thick because the sauce of in style Indian curries, like butter hen. However it shouldn’t be watery – whether it is, simply hold simmering

    Then, it’s able to serve!

Afghani Chickpea Curry

What to serve with this Afghan chickpea curry

Serve in a bowl subsequent to a steamy mound of basmati rice (I put it on the aspect reasonably than on prime as a result of the sauce is runnier than creamy curries). Or in a bowl like a hearty stew with flatbreads for dunking.

If you could find conventional Afghan flatbreads, fortunate you! Particularly the large ones the dimensions of small yoga mats – everyone loves ripping into them! Ryde locals – discover them at Bahar Persian Meals, Paradise Grocery store and 32 Bakehouse on Church Road. Wonderful worth ($6 for two huge breads round 60cm/2 toes spherical), freezes completely.

Else – something dunk-able will suffice, like store purchased Lebanese bread, flatbreads, or make your individual. I promise this can nonetheless be some of the fabulous chickpea curries you’ve had in a really very long time. 🙂 Simply wait till you expertise these creamy chickpeas! – Nagi x

Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry FAQ


Watch how one can make it

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Afghani Chickpea Curry in a bowl over rice

Melting Afghan chickpea curry

Servings5 – 7 with rice

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. I by no means knew chickpeas might be so meltingly creamy by including a smidge of baking soda! I additionally love how the sauce is thickened by cooking lentils till they breakdown, two neat methods picked up from this Pakistani Lahori Chanay by Sugar Spice & Extra. Mixed with an Afghan spice combine from the chickpea curry in Parwana, a beautiful Afghan cookbook by Durkhanai Ayubi, tailored in pursuit of recreating the chickpea curry I had from Afghan Sufra in Lakemba, an space of Sydney identified for its great Center Jap and sub-continental meals scene. I’m obsessed!

Forestall display from sleeping

Directions

  • Sauté – Soften the ghee in a big pot over medium excessive warmth. Add the cinnamon and toast for 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Prepare dinner for 3 minutes till the onion is translucent (stir often so the garlic & ginger do not catch).

  • Spices and lentils – Add the Spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stir to coat within the spices.

  • Simmer lentils – Add the inventory and salt. Stir, carry to a simmer. Decrease the pinnacle to medium, put the lid on and simmer for quarter-hour.

  • Simmer chickpeas – Add the chickpeas, water and baking soda. Improve the warmth to make it simmer once more. Then decrease the range barely and depart to simmer gently for half-hour with no lid or till the lentils largely damaged all the way down to make a skinny gravy (you possibly can cook dinner an additional 10 minutes to thicken extra if you need).

  • Serve with rice on the aspect and Afghan or different flatbreads for dunking, drizzled with yogurt and sprinkled with recent coriander if you need (I do).

Recipe Notes:

1. Dried cut up lentils – intentionally chosen as they cook dinner quick (10 minutes), then we overcook in order that they break down a bit to thicken the sauce naturally. Different kinds of dried lentils/cut up peas, complete crimson lentils and many others take longer so that you’ll throw out timing, see the substances part for occasions for various varieties. Canned lentils – haven’t tried although I do know it received’t be fairly the identical, it ought to work: drain, add with chickpeas (ie skip the complete lid-on simmer step). 
2. Chickpeas – That is even higher in the event you cook dinner your individual dried chickpeas! 🙂 You will want 720g (4 1/2 cups) of cooked chickpeas – begin with 1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas.
3. Spice subs – Strive to not skip or sub the turmeric and cardamom as they’re what distinguishes this from Indian and different sub-continent curries made with comparable spices. However, listed below are options for swap outs (nonetheless tasty, although not as supposed).

  • Both coriander or cumin with curry powder or Garam Masala
  • Cardamom or cloves – all spice or blended spice
  • Turmeric – 1/4 tsp imitation saffron powder plus 1/2 tsp ginger powder

4. Afghan bread – comfortable bread flatbread just like Indian flatbreads that may be the dimensions of small yoga mats! Ryde locals – discover them at Bahar Persian Meals, Paradise Grocery store and 32 Bakehouse on Church St, glorious worth, freezes completely. Everyone loves ripping into the large sheets of bread!
Leftovers will hold for 4 to five days within the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Lifetime of Dozer

Director Dozer. He doesn’t realise it’s vegetarian. He didn’t use to care however lately he does, he solely will get up when it’s “value it”. 😂

Oh – he decided that this was positively value it. 🤣





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