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THAI CHICKPEA ALMOND CURRY

While this bakes, you will be enchanted with the aromatic mingling of nutty coconut sauce infused with lime, ginger, and curry. It is a deeply flavorful dish that is also almost effortless in preparation. Everything comes together lickety-split and you have an exotic bean entrée to serve over rice!
Course entree, Main Course

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 1 medium to large clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt plus another few pinches, if desired
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice zest limes first, see below
  • 1 14-ounce can “lite” coconut milk
  • ¼ cup almond butter can use raw or roasted, see ntoe
  • ½ tablespoon tamari or coconut aminos for soy-free version
  • 1½ tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger
  • 1½ to 2 teaspoons red curry paste I use Thai Kitchen brand
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional; or use more if you like the heat!
  • 1/2 tsp lime zest zest before juicing

Chickpea mixture:

  • 2 14-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (3¾ to 4 cups)
  • 1 cup chopped in small cubes red pepper
  • 1 cup chopped in similar small pieces zucchini (see note)
  • ¾ cup green onion mostly white bottom portion, but some green as well
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil basil, or 1/4 cup chopped cilantro,(optional, see note)
  • A few lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. First prepare the sauce: In a blender, or using a deep large cup and an immersion blender, combine the garlic, ½ teaspoon of the salt, lime juice, coconut milk, almond butter, tamari, ginger, and curry paste. Puree well. Pour the sauce into a baking dish (8 by 12-inch, or similar size) and stir in the red pepper flakes and zest. Add the chickpeas, red pepper, zucchini, green onions, and stir well. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Then remove the foil, stir through, and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes uncovered. (Note that the sauce should thicken but can become too thick, so keep an eye on it, and remove once it begins to thicken, so it is does not become pasty.) After this time, stir in the fresh herbs, and add any extra seasoning to taste (salt, crushed pepper, hot sauce. Serve (see suggestions), topping the portions with extra fresh herbs, if desired, and with a lime wedge on the side.

Notes

  • Nut butter note: Almond butter is my first choice in this recipe, but consider switching it up occasionally with natural peanut or cashew butter in place of the almond.
  • Feel free to substitute other veggies in part or in whole for the red pepper and zucchini. Other veggies to consider are steamed cauliflower, steamed potatoes, and green beans.
  • Herbs note: Fresh cilantro or basil is a delicious addition to this curry. However, if you don’t have it, the curry will still have plenty of flavour without it. If using, the flavour will be most vibrant when added at the end of cooking, just before serving.
  • Serving suggestions: This is delicious served with jasmine rice! You can also try any rice you love, or serve with quinoa.