Melting Afghan chickpea curry

• servings: 5 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 tbsp ghee (, substitute unsalted butter or coconut oil (for vegan)

2 cinnamon sticks (sub 1/2 tsp powder, add with other spices)

1 onion (, finely chopped)

1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger

1 1/2 tbsp grated garlic

2 bay leaves (, preferably fresh else dried)

1/2 cup dried red split lentils (Note 1)

1 cup water

1 litre vegetable stock (, low sodium)

1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt

3 x 400g/14oz cans chickpeas (, drained (Note 2)

1/4 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate soda (makes chickpeas creamy, optional)

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp cardamom powder

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Basmati rice (and/or Afghan bread, Note 4, or other flatbread)

Yogurt (I like to slightly thin with water so it can be drizzled)

Fresh coriander / cilantro leaves (, roughly chopped)

Directions

Sauté - Melt the ghee in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the cinnamon and toast for 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent (stir regularly so the garlic & ginger don't catch).

Spices and lentils - Add the Spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stir to coat in the spices.

Simmer lentils - Add the stock and salt. Stir, bring to a simmer. Lower the head to medium, put the lid on and simmer for 15 minutes.

Simmer chickpeas - Add the chickpeas, water and baking soda. Increase the heat to make it simmer again. Then lower the stove slightly and leave to simmer gently for 30 minutes without a lid or until the lentils mostly broken down to make a thin gravy (you can cook an extra 10 minutes to thicken more if you want).

Serve with rice on the side and Afghan or other flatbreads for dunking, drizzled with yogurt and sprinkled with fresh coriander if you want (I do).

Notes

1. Dried split lentils – deliberately selected as they cook fast (10 minutes), then we overcook so they break down a bit to thicken the sauce naturally. Other types of dried lentils/split peas, whole red lentils etc take longer so you’ll throw out timing, see the ingredients section for times for different types. Canned lentils – haven’t tried though I know it won’t be quite the same, it should work: drain, add with chickpeas (ie skip the entire lid-on simmer step).

2. Chickpeas – This is even better if you cook your own dried chickpeas! 🙂 You will need 720g (4 1/2 cups) of cooked chickpeas – start with 1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas.

3. Spice subs – Try not to skip or sub the turmeric and cardamom as they are what distinguishes this from Indian and other sub-continent curries made with similar spices. But, here are suggestions for swap outs (still tasty, though not as intended).

Either coriander or cumin with curry powder or Garam Masala

Cardamom or cloves – all spice or mixed spice

Turmeric – 1/4 tsp imitation saffron powder plus 1/2 tsp ginger powder

4. Afghan bread – soft bread flatbread similar to Indian flatbreads that can be the size of small yoga mats! Ryde locals – find them at Bahar Persian Food, Paradise Supermarket and 32 Bakehouse on Church St, excellent value, freezes perfectly. Everybody loves ripping into the gigantic sheets of bread!

Leftovers will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.