Vegan Sweet & Spicy Chickpea Curry

If you've just transitioned to a plant-based diet or are just looking for some simple veggie dishes, curries are your best bet. This one-pot-wonder doesn't contain any crazy mock meats or foreign ingredients, and is a super low-cost dish that any beginner can whip up.

Served with basmati rice, papadums and topped with fresh coriander.

Serves: 6 (because we all love leftovers)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (olive oil works too)

• 2 carrots

• 2 red onions

• 1/4 cup water

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 tomato

• 1 birds eye chilli (or your preferred chilli/level of spice)

• 1/3 cup finely chopped dates (the cheap, pitted type work perfectly well)

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander seed

• 2 cups vegetable stock (you can mix two tsp of powder stock with 2 cups of water also)

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cans of chickpeas

• Handful chopped coriander to serve

Method

• Prepare your ingredients: dice the tomato, finely grate the carrots, mince the garlic, and finely chop the onion, dates and chilli

• In a large pot, heat the coconut oil on a high heat. Then add the onion and carrot. Sweat for 5 minutes, adding the 1/4 cup of water mid-way

• Now add the rest of the chopped ingredients and dry spices and fry off for 7 minutes

• Add the the vegetable stock and tomato paste. Give the curry a good stir and let it simmer on a low-medium heat for 45 minutes (if you're short for time, just crank up the heat)

• Add the chickpeas and leave on a medium heat for 15 more minutes

• That's it! Serve with your choice of rice (I chose basmati) and papadums. Add a generous sprinkle of chopped coriander

• Bob's your uncle

(For the best result, cook the curry on a low heat for 2 or more hours, however this is totally optional)

Large cermaic bowl by @add.mire