spicy basil butter chickpeas
My absolute favorite weeknight cuisine, made richer with a seriously buttery sauce that bombs your tastebuds with an abundance of incredible Indian flavor. That’s how I’d describe these Spicy Basil Butter Chickpeas.
I underwent a phase awhile back where I declared Thursdays “Curry Thursday” and made some sort of Indian-inspired meal with whatever I had in the fridge. I think this obsession is how I ended up with the Saucy Coconut Pumpkin Kale and Chickpea Curry, which is one of my favorite recipes to date (especially due to the acorn squash vessel).
Curries are remarkably diverse, and I love Indian and Thai versions equally. A little tweak here and there can change the face of the dish just enough to prevent curry boredom, but maintain the essence of what makes a bowl so nourishing, filling, and tasteful.
This curry is characterized by a creamy, butter-infused coconut sauce, a hit of heat from cayenne pepper, and lots of fresh basil to finish. Traditional butter curry involves marinating meat or fish in a yogurt sauce for a good amount of time, but since we’re using chickpeas here, no pre-marinating is required. Instead, the spices are toasted directly in the pan and the yogurt stirred in with coconut milk to create an especially thick texture.
Weeknight Wonder
Give yourself about 45 minutes start to finish. If you’re a maniacal chopper, 35. We’re talking a quick dinner for busy days here.
However, if you’ve the time, make some naan bread. It’s worth it.
Melt coconut oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until soft, then lots of garlic, ginger, and shallots. Toss in the bevvy of spices – these are why the ingredients list appears like a neverending parchment, but none of these are hard to access: curry powder, turmeric, cumin, fennel, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (for that ass-kicking bite at the end of a forkful). Toast for a few minutes until aromatic.
Next, stir in tomato paste, honey, and a bit of the butter until the butter melts and everything is reasonably incorporated.
Get Chickpea Wid It
Nom-nom-nom-nom nomnomnom.
Put on your dancing shoes and do a little jig and slide while adding in the sauce components: another tablespoon of butter, coconut milk, vegetable broth, and whole milk Greek yogurt. I really don’t recommend using reduced fat or nonfat version of the latter, it might get weird and chunky.
Stir it all up, and let the sauce simmer about 10 minutes (longer if you have the time) until nice and thick. If it’s mean and thick, give it a wallop with some more broth to thin out its temper. Show it whos the iron chef in the house.
Dump in the chickpeas, the final tablespoon of butter, and heat until warmed through. Finish with basil and some cilantro, or more basil if you’d like.
To serve? Always rice, and I definitely think naan has a place on your plate as well. With curries, I don’t skimp on the carbs. We like to have fun around here. If you’re a bit less fun, though, rice and extra veggies are great, like roasted broccoli or sweet potatoes.
This curry is easily modified for a few quirks that might show up. Don’t like coconut? Any other oil, and heavy cream and apt substitutes for the coconut oil and milk, respectively. Vegan? Use a vegan butter.
Like I said, curries are one of the least-fussy suppers to scrounge up, but one of the most rib-sticking. Snow days especially benefit from something so warming.
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 made!
spicy basil butter chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1.2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp fennel
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/3 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- steamed rice and naan, to serve
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and shallot for another minute. Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Stir, and toast for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant. Swirl in the tomato paste, honey, and 2 tablespoons of butter until the butter melts.
- Pour in the yogurt, coconut milk, broth, and another tablespoon of butter. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and the final tablespoon of butter until warmed through, another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle in the basil, cilantro, and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add another 1/4 cup of broth at a time until desired consistency.
- Serve overtop steamed jasmine rice and with a big fluffy piece of naan, as desired.
