Chickpea Curry Recipe | Coconut Chickpea Curry
While chickpeas made in a curried way is most popular in the northern part of India, this one here is a South Indian style Chickpea Curry Recipe. A highly protein laden dish, this Coconut Chickpea Curry is a spicy and super delicious curry preparation made with healthy white chickpeas, bold spices and fragrant coconut. This is even vegan. Also, don’t get intimidated with the long list of ingredients. If you follow the recipe well, making this curry is not that difficult.
About Chickpea Curry
In my personal collection of recipes, I have quite a few varieties of the Chickpea Curry which I make regularly at home.
My all-time favorite is this robust and flavorsome one, the authentic Punjabi Chole Masala. This recipe has a good balance of spiciness and tanginess, which enhances the overall flavors too. It is just like the Chickpea Curry you get on the streets of Delhi and Punjab.
However, the Coconut Chickpea Curry recipe that I have here on this post is a South Indian version. So, the real taste comes from the coconut and whole spices that are used in this particular variation of the dish.
The distinct taste of coconut is quite dominant in this South Indian variant. Also, there is a subtle sweetness in this preparation, and it is not sour or tangy.
Basically, in this Chickpea Curry recipe, all commonly used ingredients of South Indian cooking are added. The grated coconut being one of the main ingredients which just makes the dish awesome.
You can also experiment and make the same recipe with black chickpeas, green peas or cauliflower or potato as well.
The masala paste of the Punjabi or North Indian style Chickpea Curry uses onions, tomatoes, spices, dried pomegranate seeds or dried mango powder. This also imparts the desired spiciness spicy and sourness in the curry.
Along with these ingredients, garam masala powder or chana masala powder is also primary in this typical way of preparing the dish.
But in this Coconut Chickpea Curry recipe from the South Indian cuisine, I add 2 mildly hot dried red chilies for a lesser spicy version at times.
On some other occasions, I add 4 dried red chilies to increase the fieriness. So, you can vary the quantity of red chilies as per your taste, spice preference and the quality of red chilies.
Dried Chickpeas or Canned Chickpeas
I always use dried chickpeas when making any recipe with it. Soaking dried chickpeas and then cooking them is an additional prep work that you need to do. But my recipe works great with canned chickpeas too.
The coconut and spices curry base is so flavorful, that once you add water, simply add the canned chickpeas (after draining the liquids and rinsing). Mix and stir to combine and simmer for some minutes.
To make Chickpea Coconut Curry with canned chickpeas, add 3 cups of the canned chickpeas. Remember to drain all the liquids from the canned chickpeas and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas a few times in water, before you add them to the curry base.
How to make Chickpea Curry
Pressure Cook Chickpeas
1. First, rinse 1 cup dried white chickpeas for a couple of times in water. Then, soak the chickpeas in 3 cups water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Below is a photo of the soaked chickpeas.
Tip: If you have forgotten to soak the chickpeas, soak them in hot water for 2 hours.
2. Drain the water. Rinse the chickpeas again a couple of times.
3. Again drain all of the water and add the soaked chickpeas in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add ½ teaspoon salt.
If you do not have a stovetop pressure cooker, cook chickpeas in a pot or pan covering them with 3.5 to 4 cups of water. Or opt to cook them in the Instant Pot adding 3 cups of water.
5. Add 3 cups water.
6. Stir to mix. Cover tightly with the pressure cooker’s lid. Pressure cook the chickpeas for about 20 to 22 minutes or 18 to 20 whistles on medium to high heat. The chickpeas should be completely cooked and have a melt-in-mouth consistency.
Note: If cooking chickpeas in a pot, add about 3.5 to 4 cups water with salt to the chickpeas. Cover and cook the chickpeas till softened.
Make Chickpea Curry Base
7. While the chickpeas are cooking, prepare the curry base. Gather the spices listed below:
- ½ tablespoon fennel seeds
- ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 4 to 5 black peppercorns
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 dried red chilies (mild to medium hot), seeds removed
- 1 small piece stone flower (dagad phool), optional
For a spicy taste, add about 3 to 4 dried red chilies. The amount of red chilies to be added depends on the heat quotient in the chilies.
So, if you use red chilies which have a high heat quotient, then just 1 or 2 dried red chilies would be fine.
8. You need to toast or roast the spices first. In a frying pan or skillet, dry roast all the spices stirring often on low heat till they become fragrant – taking care that you do not burn them.
9. Next, add ½ cup tightly packed grated fresh coconut and continue to roast.
Do not worry if you do not have fresh coconut. Instead add about ⅓ cup of unsweetened desiccated or shredded coconut.
10. Stir continuously while roasting the coconut, so that there is uniform browning.
11. Roast till the coconut becomes golden. Remove the pan from heat and allow this mixture to cool.
12. Once the coconut-spice mixture is cooled, add it to a high-speed blender or a mixer-grinder jar.
Also remember to remove the husk from the black cardamom and just add its seeds in the blender or grinder.
13. Add about ⅔ to ¾ cup water and grind to a fine and smooth paste. Ensure that the curry paste is not gritty or has fine chunks of the spices or coconut. Set aside.
Make Coconut Chickpea Curry
14. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. Keeping heat to a low, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
16. Then, add 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and stir.
17. Add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions.
18. Stir and sauté till the onions turn translucent and soften on low to medium heat.
19. Add the below listed ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
20. Stir and sauté on low heat for a few seconds or until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
21. Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes.
22. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or till the tomatoes soften.
23. Add the prepared curry paste.
24. Stir very well to combine with the rest of the sautéed ingredients.
25. Then, add the drained and cooked chickpeas.
26. Stir well again and sauté for a minute.
27. Now, add 1 cup water and 1 or 2 slit green chilies.
28. Season with salt as required. Mix again.
29. First bring to a boil on medium heat and later simmer the curry on low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes; or till the curry thickens a bit and you see some oil floating on top.
Mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon to thicken the curry. Check the seasonings and add more salt as per your taste. Add more water, if needed depending on the consistency you prefer.
30. Lastly, switch off the heat and add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro). Stir well.
31. Serve Chickpea Curry hot with Indian breads like poori, Naan, tandoori roti, bhatura, aloo paratha, bread, jeera rice or steamed rice accompanied with lemon wedges and onion slices.
Expert Tips for Chickpea Curry
- Chickpea Quality: Remember to always use fresh dried white chickpeas and the ones which are in their shelf period. If you use aged chickpeas, it will take more time to cook and the dish will not even taste good.
- Swapping with Canned Chickpeas: In case you have canned chickpeas at home over dried chickpeas, you can make the dish with it as well. You may use about 3 cups canned chickpeas in that case.
- Cooking Chickpeas in a pan: If you plan to cook the chickpeas in a pot, add about 3.5 to 4 cups water and salt to the chickpeas. Then, cover and cook till the chickpeas soften.
- Spiciness: Make the curry less or more spicy by adding less or more dried red chilies. The quantity will also depend on the spice and heat quotient of the chilies.
- Fats: You can use ghee in place of oil to cook this recipe. In this case, it will not be vegan. The recipe is also possible with black chickpeas instead of white chickpeas. You can also add make the same curry cauliflower, potatoes or green peas.
- Leftovers: The leftover curry can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. However, I recommend you consume it the same day to avoid any digestion-related issues. Before serving the refrigerated curry, gently reheat it in a pan. If the curry has become too thick, add some water to dilute the consistency a bit and then reheat.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe without dry roasting the spices for the coconut curry base?
You may try. But I suggest you do as a curry base prepared with freshly toasted/roasted and ground spices imparts a different and unique flavor in the dish as compared to the one made with pre-ground spices.
How can I store the leftover curry?
This Coconut Chickpea Curry will stay good in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 days.Just make sure to reheat it properly before serving.
I want to use canned chickpeas to make this recipe. How do I go about it?
Since canned chickpeas are pre-cooked, you just have to prepare the base curry. Once you make it, add the canned chickpeas in it and let the curry simmer for a some minutes or until it is slightly thickened or reached the desired consistency.
Can I prepare this curry in ghee?
Yes, you can certainly prepare the curry in ghee. Note, then it won’t be anymore vegan.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Chickpea Curry Recipe | Coconut Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
For soaking & pressure cooking chickpeas
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana or safed chana) – 180 grams
- 3 cups water – for soaking
- 3 cups water – for pressure cooking
- ½ teaspoon salt
For toasting or roasting spices
- ½ cup fresh grated coconut – tightly-packed
- 1 inch cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon fennel seeds
- ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 dry red chilies or 3 to 4 chillies – would make the dish spicy. remove the seeds.
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 to 5 black peppercorns
- 1 small piece stone flower (dagad phool, pathar phool), optional
Other ingredients to make curry
- 3 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), small-sized
- ⅓ cup onions – finely chopped, 50 grams or 1 medium-sized
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 2 to 3 small to medium, peeled garlic cloves and ½ inch peeled ginger crushed or made into a paste in mortar-pestle
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), optional
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- ½ cup tomatoes – finely chopped, 80 grams or 1 medium-sized
- 1 cup water or add as required
- 1 green chilli – slit
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) – chopped, for garnish
- salt as required
Instructions
Cooking chickpeas
- First rinse the dried chickpeas for a couple of times in water. Then soak the chickpeas in 3 cups of water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- Drain the water. Rinse the chickpeas again for a couple of times.
- Again drain all the water and add the soaked chickpeas in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt and 3 cups water. Stir to mix.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas for 20 to 22 minutes or 18 to 20 whistles on medium to high heat.
- If cooking chickpeas in a pot, then add about 3.5 to 4 cups water and salt to the chickpeas. Cover and cook the chickpeas till they softened.
Making curry paste
- When the chickpeas are cooking, you can roast or toast the spices. Gather all the spices you will need and set them aside.
- In a pan or skillet, on a low heat dry roast the spices except coconut – listed under the "toasting or roasting the spices" heading above, till they become fragrant. Take care not to burn them, so roast them on low heat and stir often.Remember to roast all spices except coconut.
- Once the spices smell fragrant, add the fresh grated coconut to the spices and begin to roast or toast on low heat.Note you could use either fresh grated coconut or frozen shredded coconut and even ⅓ cup of unsweetened shredded or desiccated coconut.
- Stir continuously while roasting the coconut, so that there is uniform and even cooking.
- Roast till the coconut become golden. Remove the pan from the stovetop allow the this mixture to cool at room temperature.
- Once the coconut-spice mixture is cooled, add them to a high-speed blender or mixer-grinder. Make a note to remove the husks from the black cardamom and just add its seeds in the blender or grinder.
- Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water and grind to a smooth and fine consistency making sure the curry paste does not have any small chunks or bits of the spices and coconut.
Making chickpea curry
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. Keep heat to a low or medium-low.
- Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then add tejpatta and stir.
- Next add the finely chopped onions. Stir and sauté on low to medium heat till the onions turn translucent and soften.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric power, asafoetida and curry leaves.
- Stir and sauté for a few seconds on low heat till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté on a low to medium heat, for about 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes soften.
- Add the ground coconut and spices curry paste. Stir very well to combine.
- Then add the drained and cooked chickpeas. Stir again well and saute for a minute.
- Now add 1 cup of water and 1 or 2 slit green chilies.
- Season with salt as required.
- Give a boil first and then simmer the curry for 10 to 15 minutes on a low to medium heat or till the gravy thickens a bit and you see some oil floating on top.
- Mash a few chickpeas with the sides of the spoon to thicken the gravy. Check the seasonings and add more salt if you prefer.
- Switch off the heat. Lastly add chopped coriander leaves. Stir well.
- Serve Chickpea Curry hot with chapati, poori, bread or steamed rice accompanied with lemon wedges and thin onion slices or a side of vegetable salad.
Notes
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Dried Chickpeas: Use 3 cups of canned chickpeas.
- Stone flower: Can be skipped.
- Asafoetida: Optional ingredient and can be left out.
- Fresh Coconut: Swap with ⅓ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut or can make the curry paste with frozen shredded coconut.
- Curry leaves: Gives a lot of flavor to the curry, so do not omit it from the recipe. You could also add dried curry leaves instead.
- Black mustard seeds: Swap with small yellow mustard seeds.
- Dry red chillies: Add chillies which are less spicy or medium-spicy. You could also use the Indian variety of Kashmiri red chillies. If out of red chillies, add ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper or paprika when you add turmeric powder to the softened onions.
Recipe Notes
- If you have forgotten to soak chickpeas, soak them in hot water for 2 hours.
- For a less spicy curry, add only 1 red chilli or half of one chilli.
- Since coconut is one of the important ingredient in the recipe, make sure it is fresh and not rancid. The coconut should have a mild sweet taste.
- You can cook chickpeas in an Instant Pot or in a pan on the stovetop adding water as needed.
- If using canned chickpeas, add them when you add water to the curry paste. Simmer for some minutes until the curry thickens a bit and the chickpeas absorb the flavor of the curry.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.
- For a gluten-free curry, do not add asafoetida (hing).
Nutrition
This Chickpea Curry recipe from the blog archives, first published in July 2013 has been republished and updated on December 2022.
Loved having chana with coconut. This is a really tasty combination.
Yes it is and thanks for sharing your lovely feedback.
wonderful dish!! i love adding coconut to recipes
Thank you for all your recipes. I always find them easy to follow and adapt to ingredients I have available. I am keen on trying this recipe. Do you think I can use store bought chana masala powder with coconut in place of the whole spices?
Thanks a lot. Yes you can do that. The flavor and taste of the curry will depend on the quality, aroma and flavors of the masala powder added.
Thank you. Looking forward to trying this out ?
I tried yesterday. Turned out awesome ?. Thanks for the lovely recipe. Everyone liked a lot. Super taste.
Thank you for the rating and the review on the recipe. Glad to know. Happy cooking.
The aroma whilst cooking was so enticing, that I was salivating!
Is there any substitute of coconut
you can use coconut milk. also instead of fresh coconut, you can use desiccated coconut.
I cooked this for friends and everybody loved it.
Thank you soo much for such delicious curry.
Welcome Vikram. Nice to know this.
Hello dassanaji!!! Wondering how I have never viewed did recipe even though I m following u for yrs…..hope ur new year is going good….gonna try did recipe as soon as possible. Sorry 4 asking u again n again pls share the recipe of eggless vattalappam recipe with us dassana ji if possible….. Thanks a ton!!!
thanks aishu. it happens. the structure of website is such that many recipe get hidden. this is a very good curry and you can try at home. i have got a couple of requests for vattalappam. in fact i had an eggless version in one of the hotels in kumarakom in kerala and it was very good. so i will try to add the recipe in some time.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is really very nice.
Welcome AGS
Thank you for all your amazing recipes.
One point missing in this recipe is the number of whistles needed for cooking the chana. All your other recipes I have tried mentions this.
Thank you once again
Roshni
Welcome Roshni. Usually I try to mention. However the time to cook chana varies as it depends upon many factor like size of cooker, age of chana and intensity of flame. older the chana, the more time it takes to cook.
Thank you for this detailed recipe which turned out awesome, followed exactly step by step and the result was outstanding ????
Welcome Shuba. Thanks for your positive comment on chana masala recipe.
In the recipe, you mention “pressure cook the chana for 18 to 20 whistles”. How many minutes would 18 to 20 whistles convert? (I prefer to take my attention off cooking while pressure cooker is doing its job. If you specify the minutes it is convenient to come back after the specified number of minutes)
Appreciate this awesome recipe. Thank you in advance
thanks. 18 to 20 whistles is about 20 to 22 minutes.
Liked your capsicum curry, channa masala, the way you have given instructions is very good, Thanku
thank you swetha. do try the other recipes as well. happy cooking.
Hi! What do you mean by stock? Vegetable stock?
here in this recipe the stock is the water in which in the chickpeas were cooked.
I can’t wait to try and make this version tonight. I made the Punjabi-style from your website several times, and it simply amazing.
I was just curious, do you ever add anything else to the chickpeas when you cook them? I have read/seen the addition of baking soda helps cooks the peas more quickly, and cooks the inside without drying. In addition to the beautiful color the tea/gooseberries provides, the theory is it also counteracts the bitter tasting baking soda.
Could anything be used for the same effect?
thanks bryan. while cooking chickpeas, i usually do not add baking soda. but yes on rare occasions i have added baking soda and it does help the chickpeas to have a soft melt in the mouth texture. just add a pinch of baking soda. this much does not give any bitter taste. if more is added, then yes bitter taste will be felt. there is nothing that can replace baking soda.