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vegan chickpea curry recipe
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5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry (Vegan)

This chickpea curry recipe has everything you look for in a weeknight dinner! Rich and creamy with flavors spot on, this curry gets ready in 20 minutes (canned chickpeas) or 40 minutes( dried soaked chickpeas). I have made this vegan instant pot chickpea curry but have also included instructions for stove top. Tastes yummy with naan bread or steamed basmati rice.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian
Keyword: chickpea curry
Servings: 3
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Harini

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas 2 cups cooked
  • water to soak chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped, more for serving
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onions
  • 2 green chilies slit
  • 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste or freshly minced
  • 2 cups very finely chopped tomatoes or puree from 4 large tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper or paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1.5 teaspoons garam masala powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup thick coconut milk or 3 tablespoons cshaew paste (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons crushed kasuri methi

Instructions

Preparing Chickpeas

  • Follow these steps only if you are using dried chickpeas. If you are using canned chickpeas, just drain and rinse thoroughly.
  • Pick, rinse and soak dried chickpeas in plenty of water for 8-12 hours. Well soaked chickpeas cook faster and are easier to digest, lends amazingly creamy texture when mashed to curries.
  • Once well soaked, drain and rinse the chickpeas very thoroughly. It is important to get rid of foamy white liquid from soaked chickpeas.
  • Set aside to use in chickpea curry.

Making Chickpea Curry In Instant Pot

  • Place the insert or inner pot inside your instant pot and plug in.
  • Press saute mode and set the time to 15 minutes.
  • Once the instant pot displays hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. You can use any oil like mustard oil, peanut oil, coconut oil.
  • Add cumin seeds, minced ginger garlic, finely chopped onions, cilantro leaves and slit green chilies.
  • Saute well for two minutes until aroma wafts out.
  • Now in goes the finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree.
  • Next add curry powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, ground turmeric and ground coriander.
  • Saute very well for 8-9 minutes until the spice powders are well cooked and oil separates from the sides.
  • Add 1/2 cup water to de glaze, saute for 3 minutes.
  • Next in goes soaked and drained chickpeas along with salt to taste. Mix gently.
  • Once the saute cycle ends, press cancel.
  • Add 2 cups water and close the instant pot.
  • Press manual or pressure cook and set the time to 35 minutes. Set pressure valve to seal. Cook in high pressure.
  • Once done, press cancel and release pressure manually.
  • At this stage the chickpea curry will look watery and it is totally fine.
  • Press saute mode and set timer for 5 minutes. Let the curry simmer in open pot.
  • At this stage if desired stir in 1/2 cup thick coconut milk or 3 tablespoons cashew paste. Unplug the instant pot.
  • Add finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, crushed kasuri methi and 2 teaspoons lime juice.
  • Mix well and serve chickpea curry warm.

Notes

Saute onion-ginger garlic together- To make a very flavorful restaurant style curry base, do not add onions ginger garlic one by one and saute. Add them together as I have mentioned and saute together. You will notice the flavor difference when you follow this method.
Saute the tomato paste or puree really well- To make the best curry base you have to saute the tomato very well after adding spice powders. Sauteing well releases the flavor of spice powders and thicken the curry base too.
Get the consistency right- Once the curry is cooked in instant pot, release the pressure manually and cook he curry in saute mode for 4-5 minutes. This step will bring the curry together and make the consustency right. At this stage you can add cashew or coconut milk. See next tip.
Add creamy touch with coconut milk or cashew paste- This whole recipe is made with just 2 tablespoons oil and not very rich. Toadd some richness and also to the curry creamy I stir in some coconut milk or cashew paste towards the end. If you want a lighter chickpea curry use coconut milk.
Add a dash of lime juice to perk up the flavors. You can also use lemon juice.
Serve with finely chopped raw onions for more flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 3g | Calories: 430kcal