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Method
1
Toast the mustard seeds
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan or heavy-based pot over a medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds. They'll start popping within 30–60 seconds — this is exactly what you want. Once they begin to pop, immediately move to the next step so they don't burn.
2
Cook the aromatics
Add the diced onion to the popped mustard seeds. Cook over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring regularly, until deeply golden and starting to caramelise. This long, slow cooking of the onion is crucial — it forms the sweet, rich base of the curry. Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook for 2 more minutes.
🧅 The golden onion rule
Most home cooks undercook their onions. Take the time to get them properly golden — at least 10 minutes over medium heat. This is what separates a good curry from a great one.
3
Bloom the spices
Add all the ground spices — cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chilli flakes — directly to the onion mixture. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes. The spices will toast in the oil and become intensely fragrant. This step is called "blooming" and it's what wakes up the flavours in dried spices.
4
Add tomatoes and simmer
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir well to combine with the spiced onion base. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes over a medium heat, until the sauce has thickened and the oil is beginning to separate around the edges. This is called the "masala stage" and it's a good sign.
5
Add chickpeas and coconut milk
Add the drained chickpeas and stir to coat in the masala. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Taste and season with salt.
6
Wilt the spinach
Add the fresh spinach in large handfuls, stirring between each addition. It will wilt down dramatically within 1–2 minutes. Once all the spinach is wilted and the curry looks glossy and rich, it's ready.
7
Serve
Spoon generously over fluffy basmati rice. Scatter with fresh coriander leaves and serve with warm naan bread for scooping. A dollop of mango chutney on the side is highly recommended.
🧊 Make ahead & freeze
This curry keeps in the fridge for 4 days and freezes perfectly for up to 3 months. The flavour actually improves overnight, so it's a brilliant meal-prep option. Make a double batch on Sunday for easy Monday dinners.
My Monday story
A good chickpea curry was the recipe that made me realise plant-based cooking could be genuinely exciting — not just a compromise. I'd grown up eating curries with chicken or lamb, so my first reaction to chickpeas as the star was scepticism. I was wrong.
Chickpeas have an incredible ability to absorb whatever they're cooked in. After simmering in this spiced coconut tomato sauce for 15 minutes, they're transformed — soft, flavourful and deeply satisfying.
I now keep two tins of chickpeas and a tin of coconut milk in my cupboard at all times. With those and a bag of spinach from the fridge, Monday dinner is always sorted.