Fast, filling, and flavourful, this Thai-inspired Chickpea Curry features red curry paste, coconut milk, ginger, pineapple, and tomatoes. You can make it vegan or add pork tenderloin for the meat eaters. Serve in a bowl or spooned over your favourite rice.
Psst…If you’re looking for a green curry recipe, check out our 15-Minute Thai Green Curry.
Simple, Flexible, Perfect for Your Weekly Rotation
Thai Chickpea Curry’s a simple, flexible recipe that you’ll be able to make on auto-pilot after a few tries. It’s also one of those recipes that has lots of leeway for alterations and additions if you don’t have exact measurements on hand.
To get the party started, you fry the red curry paste in a little bit of coconut oil, releasing those wonderful aromatics, and temporarily at least, making the world a better place. For the red curry paste, I use a Thai brand that contains dried red chilli, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, salt, lime, galangal and spices.
PRO TIP
I find that a little red curry paste goes a long way. I do NOT follow the advice on the label as it recommends using about an eighth of the container per curry recipe, and that would be very very very spicy, at least for my palette. Starting with a small amount and adding more to taste is always the safe bet.
Once you’ve fried the paste for a minute, dump in the chickpeas and stir them around, coating them in the curry paste. Add in your fresh ginger, or if you’re pressed for time, ginger powder will work too. Then add in the coconut milk, pineapple, and tomatoes. To finish it off, you add the Thai power punch: fish sauce (or black bean if vegan), soy sauce, and lime juice.
VARIATION
Fresh pineapple and tomatoes are great if you have them handy. But, if you’re in a pinch, you can use canned. Drain them first and dice them into bite-sized chunks. I’ve even used canned tomatoes flavoured with basil and other Italian spices and that worked out just fine!
If you’re making the meat-eater version, in a separate saucepan, thinly slice your pork tenderloin and fry it in a little coconut oil. It takes about 2 minutes per side to get the tenderloin cooked.
That’s it! Your Thai Chickpea Curry is ready to eat. But, if you’re not starving, it won’t hurt to simmer it for 15 or 20 minutes to really get those flavours mingling.
This one’s perfect for your weekly rotation!
You can serve this as is or spoon it over your favourite rice. Don’t forget to garnish with cilantro.
Cooking this Recipe for a Mixed Vegan/Meat-Eater Group
To make both versions of this, you can start with a single saucepan, and then separate it into two just before adding the black bean sauce for vegans, or fish sauce and pork tenderloin for meat eaters. This happens at the end so it’s pretty straightforward.
Other Recipes for Mixed Groups
Feeding mixed groups of vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters? Check out these recipes:
- Buddha Bowls w/ Brown Butter Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce (Tofu, Prawns, Chicken)
- Tom Kha Soup – Vegan or with Chicken
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers – Vegan, Vegetarian, Beef
- Green Pasta Sauce – Vegan, with Vegetarian or Meat-eater Toppings
- Roasted Veggies with Curry Cream Sauce – Vegan, Vegetarian, Pork
- Corn Chip Casserole: Vegan (Jackfruit) or Chicken
- Black Beans and Polenta – Vegan, Vegetarian, Bacon-enhanced
- Butternut Squash Green Curry: Vegan or Chicken
- Lettuce Wraps: Vegan or Pork
- 15-Minute Thai Chickpea Curry (Vegan or Pork)
15-minute Thai Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cups chickpeas, cooked
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped {Or sub with 2 teaspoons dried}
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For Vegan Version:
- 2 teaspoons black bean sauce
For Pork Version:
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 100 grams pork tenderloin, thinly sliced {per pork eater}
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
For Serving:
- cooked rice of choice, optional
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a medium-sized frying pan or saucepan. Add in red curry paste and fry for a minute.
- Stir in the chickpeas and ginger and get the chickpeas coated in the curry paste.
- Add in the coconut milk, tomatoes, pineapple, sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. If you’re making the vegan version, or a vegan/omnivore mixed version, add in the black bean sauce. Cook over medium heat until everything is warmed through.
For the pork version:
- Add in the fish sauce.
- In a separate pan, melt the coconut oil, and then add in the pork tenderloin. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until the meat no longer shows any pink. If you are all omnivores, you can add the pork to the curry, otherwise serve on top.
For all versions:
- Serve over rice if desired, and garnish with cilantro.
2 comments
Ate this dish a few times. Love it.
Love this dish!!