Easy Plant based chickpea curry

Chickpeas are what’s known as a complete protein because they contain all nine essential amino acids, which are building blocks that help our bodies function properly.

This unique, nutrient-packed bean has been popular in the Middle East for many years, as chickpeas are a staple ingredient in many of the region’s most well-known dishes like hummus and falafel.

Because chickpeas are so full of nutrients, they provide multiple health benefits, including: help lose weight, control (and reduce) your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reduce constipation to promote gut's health.

People living with celiac disease develop a sensitivity to gluten, which can make dietary choices difficult. Chickpeas, however, are a great option: They’re naturally gluten-free.

Here is another easy healthy version of chickpea curry made from scratch!

If you buy chickpea in a can, you should always read the ingredient label, as prepackaged foods can include a lot of additives. The more natural the chickpea is, the better it’s going to be for our bodies. Try to use dried chickpeas, instead of canned, because it is so. dang. worth it!

Ingredients

1 yellow onion
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
6 cups (5 ounces) baby spinach leaves (or chopped spinach)
28 ozfire roasted tomatoes or 4 cups fresh diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¾ teaspoons kosher salt
30 oz fully soaked chickpeas (or cooked chickpeas)
1 cup coconut milk
3-4 cups broth
White or brown basmati rice to serve

Directions:

Put 9 oz dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with 4 cups cold water. Leave to soak overnight. Drain and rinse chickpeas and add in your vitaclay pot.
In a sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and spinach and sauté for 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted. Transfer to your vitaclay clay pot.
Add in the tomatoes, curry powder, cumin, coriander, 4 cups water or broth, salt, stir in the coconut milk until fully combined.
Set on Stew or Fast to cook for 40 minutes to an hour, or until beans are cooked through.

Serve with basmati rice and enjoy!

Note:

Chickpeas must be soaked fully or until it becomes soft. It is so much easier to cook soaked chickpeas. For the quick soak method, add the beans to a large pot, cover them with several inches of water and bring them to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes then take the pot off of the heat and let the beans sit in the water for 1-2 hours.
If your chickpeas are not fully soaked or expanded by 3X in volume, you may need extra 30 minutes or longer to cook chickpeas by adding 2 more cups water and additional 1/2 cup coconut milk.

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