Creamy chickpea, spinach and zucchini curry

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3cm (1¼ inch) piece ginger, grated
  • 6 medium tomatoes (as ripe as you can find)
  • 1.5 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander seed
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp yeast extract (you can also substitute Marmite)
  • ¼ cup red lentils
  • 2 zucchini/courgettes, diced into cubes
  • brocolli florets
  • 100ml coconut milk
  • 1 × 400g chickpeas, drained
  • 150g spinach leaves, shredded (or use baby spinach leaves instead)
  • handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Put the onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes in a food processor and blend to a thick purée.
  2. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the spices and fry for a few seconds until they become fragrant, then add the purée and stir in the yeast extract and heat till bubbling.
  3. Add the lentils and coconut milk and cook over medium heat until the lentils are tender.  Add the zucchini and simmer for 5-10 minutes until beginning to feel tender.
  4. Add the broccoli and cook for 4 mins. Stir in the drained chickpeas and spinach leaves and heat through.  Check for seasoning; add salt and pepper to taste and stir through the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.
  5. Serve with boiled basmati rice and more fresh coriander/cilantro leaves.