Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry

Silky, creamy, coconut -y, savory greatness.

The best meals tend to be the accidental ones: one night doing my usual pantry and fridge inventory, searching for dinner, I found some coconut milk, a can of chickpeas and some leftover roasted sweet potato. Could it be a curry? Why not. And 30 minutes later I had this luscious creamy meal.

 
Micole Rondinone Vegan Curry
 

Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

SERVES 1

For Sweet Potatoes

  • 1 Medium Sweet Potato, 8.5 oz

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice

  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

  • Heaping 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

  • Heaping 1/4 tsp garlic powder

  • Freshly ground black pepper

For Curry

  • 1/8 small red onion, cut into thin rounds, 1.2oz

  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice, or whole - 5-6 berries 

  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

  • 1/2 tsp tandoori powder

  • 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice

  • 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/2 tsp curry powder

  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • Kosher Salt

  • 3 Tbsps neutral oil

  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tomato paste

  • 1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger 

  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (full fat)

  • 1 standard size can chickpeas, 15.5 oz

For Serving

  • 1/2 cup basmati or other rice (uncooked)

  • Fresh cilantro

  • Indian tamarind chutney (I like SWAD brand, also available for purchase in NYC HERE)

  • Your favorite Indian bread

First we will roast the sweet potatoes: preheat your oven to 400F. Scrub the sweet potato clean and cut into rounds, 1/4 in. thick, and then into quarters. In a bowl toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil. To the bowl add your spices: 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, heaping 1/4 tsp both smoked paprika and garlic powder, and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper.

On a baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil and lay sweet potato quarters out in a single layer. Place in the oven for 12-15 mins until golden on the bottom side and then flip. Place back in the oven another 5-10 mins until crispy all over. When they are done, set aside. You can also make the sweet potato 2-3 days in advance and refrigerate.

While your sweet potatoes are baking, get your rice over the heat with a 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, if you have, or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. When done cooking, cover until ready to serve.

You can also work on the curry: cut your red onion into rounds and then into quarter rounds, finely dicing a little and setting aside for garnish.

In a ramekin or small bowl, combine all of the spices for the curry: 1/4 tsp ground ground allspice (or 5-6 whole berries crushed), 1/4 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp tandoori powder, 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

In a pot, heat neutral oil over medium heat. Add your ground spices and let them “bloom”, or cook, in the oil: doing this releases flavor compounds, and helps to distribute flavor evenly through the cooking process.

After a minute or two, when very fragrant, add onions to the pot, stir to coat and cook over a med low heat until onions are soft. Then add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Let them cook over med heat, about 5 mins. 

To the pot add 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp finely minced ginger. Let cook a few minutes until the tomato paste is caramelized and brown in color.

Add 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1 tsp kosher salt. At the last moment, take your roasted sweet potato quarters and mix into the curry before removing from the heat to serve: having them maintain some of their crispiness adds a great textural difference. Mix and check seasoning, adding salt to taste.  

Serve over warm basmati rice. Finish with fresh cilantro and if you like, drizzle with this amazing tamarind chutney, which brings tartness and heat. Serve with Indian bread like naan.