Sunshine Infused Coconut Ginger Chickpea Curry
Vibrant, thick & delicious yellow vegan chickpea curry made with red lentils, ginger & coconut milk.
This super-easy recipe is a perfect sunny entre to add into your weekly meal routine. Make it once, and you’ll find many ways to enjoy this yellow dal.
All my clients request this dish monthly in their custom meal prep plan. Whether their diet is plant-based, anti-inflammatory, low carb and high protein; they all feel nourished when enjoying this dish.
Because of those varied diets, I pair this curry with a variety of sides to complete the meal:
- Short grain brown rice
- White basmati rice
- Blanched chard
- Blanched kale
- Cauliflower rice with cilantro and lime
SOAKING BEANS VERSUS CANNED BEANS
This recipe suggests using raw, dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight. You may soak your beans 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
I prefer to use canned beans sparingly, only for occasional convenience. That way you avoid the hormone aggravators from food that has been stored long term in a can (BPA free or not, you are still absorbing additives that are keeping the beans shelf stable).
When buying canned beans, read the ingredients label to know what you are getting besides beans. Be sure to reach for the organic option.
As you adjust your diet to more fresh vegetables, organic fruit and high quality protein, you will inherently feel the low vibration from consuming canned foods. Alternatively, you will recognize the high vibration of the fresh cooked chickpeas.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF FRESHLY COOKED BEANS
When you eat beans, or in this case chickpeas that have been soaked and prepared fresh, you’ll first notice a better flavor and texture. You’ll feel fuller, faster and you’ll need less food to feel satisfied and nourished.
MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF BEAN & CHICKPEAS
- Beans balance blood sugar as they are slowly digested
- Freshly prepared beans contain essential fatty acids, vitamin B6, and overall vitality
- Chickpeas support the spleen, heart and the kidneys
- They help reduce blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure, regulate colon function, and prevent constipation
THE QUICK SOAK METHOD FOR BEANS
Short on time? For a quick soak of dried beans, follow these directions:
- Cover dried beans in a pot with triple their volume of water and boil for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, tightly cover, and leave for 2 hours.
- Drain and rinse. Use in any recipe that calls for soaked beans.
Sunshine Infused Coconut Ginger Chickpea Curry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup & Stew
- Method: Cook top
- Cuisine: Healthy
Description
Vibrant, thick & delicious yellow curry made with chickpeas, red lentils, spinach & coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
- 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced in half moons
- 2 heads of garlic, top third removed
- 1 3“piece of fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, julienned
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained (or 2 cans)
- 2 13.5-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups split red lentils
- 4 cups of spinach
- Cilantro and large toasted coconut flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot (I use an enamel Dutch oven) over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, cut side down, and ginger. Stir occasionally until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add curry powder and cayenne, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add chickpeas and 5 cups of water, stirring to release any bits stuck on the bottom of the pot. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover with lid leaving it slightly askew so steam can escape. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a gentle simmer, until chickpeas have swelled 50 percent in size but are still crunchy, 25-30 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and lentils to pot, season with remaining salt. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender and lentils have broken down to form a thick stew, 30-35 minutes.
- Stir in spinach until wilted. Taste and season with more salt to taste. Ladle into bowl and garnish with cilantro as desired.
Notes
Serve with cilantro, large toasted coconut flakes & brown rice for a balanced, nourishing meal.
CHEF TIP
Looking to add more turmeric into your daily routine? Add 2 teaspoons of turmeric when adding the curry powder.
If you can’t pre-soak the chickpeas, use 2 cans in place. Add the chickpeas at the end of preparing the dish, about 5 minutes before serving to allow the beans to warm up.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whitney Aronoff is a Natural Foods Chef based in Laguna Beach, California. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Communications, and went on to culinary school at The Natural Gourmet Institutein New York. She works as a personal chef and teaches cooking classes, with a focus on healthy, whole foods cooking. You can follow her food and travel adventures on Instagram at @WhitneyAronoff or on her website www.WhitneyAronoff.com.
