indian coconut basil butter chickpeas
We named our basil plant Bill, and Bill is en fuego right now. Amazingly, when you somewhat ignore a plant, if it decides to say no to death it bursts into a thousand branches and can’t be controlled despite copious pruning. I’m not complaining. Bill’s bounty allows for rich cuisine such as these here Indian Coconut Basil Butter Chickpeas. So if you haven’t a Bill in your life, go get one, man.
How odd to me that I once hated Indian food. I thought coconut milk weird and turmeric even weirder, not to mention I pronounced turmeric “TOOmEHric” if I pronounced it at all. I’ve about three Indian-inspired recipes sitting in my queue, and I’ll probably add two more sometime after this one hits the showers knowing my propensity to make something with quarter a can of coconut milk and needing to use it up before the molds get it.
Now that I’ve left you with that olfactory nightmare, let’s talk butter chickpeas.
Spices are the centerpiece of any Indian fare and this recipe is no different in its extensive use of aromatics. Garlic, shallot, ginger, TOOmEHric (ok, I’m done), cumin, coriander, curry powder, and a nibble of cinnamon swirl around in coconut oil, to start. The toasted spice aroma lingers long after cooking, so if someone in your household isn’t an Indian food fan, well, better book them a hotel.
Your simmer sauce gives body to the spices. Tomato paste flirts with your curry base for a minute, then pour in coconut milk, full-fat Greek yogurt (use full fat, please, else your sauce might contain congealed blobs of white stuff resulting from the lack of fat to work with the heat. 2% might work, but I couldn’t say for sure), chickpeas, a few tablespoons of butter, and a bit of broth. Stir everything around and then let your stovetop do some heavy lifting for 10 minutes or so.
The final touch is chopped up nibs of your amicable neighborhood Bill, and his pal Cindy Cilantro. Definitely made that up on the fly. I sadly don’t own a cilantro friend yet. Fold the fresh herbs into the sauce, season with a touch more salt and pepper if you wish, then you feast! I approve of doubling up on carbs and using both rice and naan as means of scooping up excess butter-coconut sauce, but you can choose one or another or, if you’re a nutball, omit both and go full veggie. I steamed some broccoli, so never fear. The greens weren’t lost on my plate.
Indian for Tuesday. Why not? Do you have a cuisine you converted to later in life but abhorred when younger? I wasn’t a fan of Mexican food either back in my foolish ages, but I think the discovery of guacamole changed that pretty snappy.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you’ve made!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 small shallots, minced
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 can tomato paste
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cans chickpeas
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- rice and naan, for serving
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium. Saute garlic, ginger, and shallot until soft and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, and coriander. Toast for 2 minutes. Swirl tomato paste in herbs for a minute, then add chickpeas and 1 tbsp of butter and toss with spices and paste for 1-2 minutes until roughly incorporated.
- Pour coconut milk, greek yogurt, the other 2 tbsp butter, and broth into the skillet. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until sauce thickens. You can extend simmering time up to 30 minutes if you want a deeper flavor, but keep an eye on the moisture level so the chickpeas don't dry out.
- Once simmering completes, stir in basil and cilantro. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve over rice with a fresh loaf of naan.
