Name: Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: serves 4 people
Ingredients: 1 lemongrass (substitute: ginger); 1 red onion; 3 cloves of garlic; 1 handful fresh coriander (substitute: parsley); 1 tsp sweet paprika powder; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 2 chilis; 1 handful of peanuts; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 onions; 2 cloves of garlic; 150 g dried chickpeas (soaked over night); 2 sweet potatoes; 1 potato; 1 leek; 400 ml coconut milk; 1 lime; fresh coriander

Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Curry

If I should put this Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Curry in a most suitable category, it would be on top of the "most aromatic dishes of all time". At least the most aromatic we have ever made. Delicious things like lemon grass, turmeric, coriander, sweet paprika and cumin smell incredible and when you cook this dish in your own kitchen your whole apartment / house smells like heaven. Truly such a comforting feeling. Curry is a wonderful Indian dish and I am sure you will eat the best one cooked by an Indian chef, however, that's no excuse. Making one at home is fun, easy and as stated previously, it smells amazing too. If it's hard to get lemon grass or coriander in your area, you can use fresh ginger and parsley. This Curry is incredibly aromatic, easy to make, cooked in 40 minutes and best served with simply cooked basmati rice.

Ingredients

Homemade Curry Paste

1 lemongrass (substitute: ginger)

1 red onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 handful fresh coriander (substitute: parsley)

1 tsp sweet paprika powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 chilis

1 handful of peanuts

Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Curry

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions

2 cloves of garlic

150 g dried chickpeas (soaked over night)

2 sweet potatoes

1 potato

1 leek

400 ml coconut milk

1 lime

fresh coriander

Tools and equipment

kitchen knife

cutting board

pestle and mortar

small frying pan

large saucepan with a lid

METHOD

Homemade curry paste

Prepare the curry paste (or use store-bought). Lightly crush the lemongrass with a side of a large knife to release some aromatic oils, then remove the root end and discard the outer layers. Chop the inner layer of lemongrass and put it into a pestle and mortar. Peel and dice the onion and garlic, then add to the pestle and mortar with the the coriander seeds, sweet paprika, turmeric, cumin, fresh coriander, chopped chili and peanuts. Grind until fine.
Curry Paste

Place a small frying pan over medium high heat. Add in the curry paste and fry for about 2 - 3 minutes (it will smell fantastic) then transfer to a small bowl.
Cook the onions

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, chopped garlic and homemade curry paste. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rest of the vegetables

Chop the potato and sweet potatoes into small chunks. Slice the leek. Add to the onions. Drain and tip in the chickpeas (or use canned), then cook for 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
Cook

Stir in the coconut milk and 300 ml water. Cover with a lid and cook for 40 minutes on low heat.
Season to taste

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the zest and juice of one lime.
Serve

Serve Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Curry with basmati rice. Scatter over the coriander leaves, and add coconut flakes, peanuts and lime wedges, if you like. Enjoy.
Store

Store the cooled curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. Store the cooled homemade curry paste in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.