When you think of Indian chickpea recipes, Chana masala often steals the spotlight. However, our Instant Pot Chickpea curry with coconut milk is a great option for a quick and easy dinner. Perfect for hectic weeknights with little meal prep. It is made by cooking chickpeas in a flavorful, rich sauce of coconut milk, spices, and herbs. You can easily customize it by adding hearty vegetables or a protein of your choice. If you’re a fan of coconut-based curries, you’ll love my recipes for cauliflower coconut curry, and butternut squash coconut curry. Give them a try!
Ingredients
Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the star ingredient here. While I prefer to soak dried chickpeas overnight and pre-cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, you can also use low-sodium canned chickpeas. Just be sure to drain and rinse them before adding to the recipe. Coconut Milk: Coconut milk adds creaminess and richness to this curry. Canned full-fat coconut milk works the best, but you can use homemade coconut milk, too. I prefer the Chaokoh Coconut Milk brand. Onion, garlic, and ginger: I used finely chopped red onions, freshly minced garlic, and ginger. You can also use homemade ginger and garlic paste. Tomato: You can use canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes to make the base for this curry. Alternatively, you can use ripened Roma tomatoes and blend them into a puree using a blender. Spices: I have used dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Whole spices like bay leaf and cumin seeds. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice for the best flavor. Leafy Greens: I have used baby spinach at the end. You may also use kale.
How to Make Chickpea Coconut Curry In Instant Pot
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it’s hot, add cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Allow the cumin seeds to splutter. Then add onions, minced ginger, and garlic. Saute onions for 3-4 minutes or till they turn light brown. Next, add tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes along with the juice), and spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Saute for 2 minutes. Make sure to Deglaze the bottom of the pot to remove any food bits stuck to it, as this helps to prevent a possible BURN notice. Add (pre-cooked or canned) chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, and salt. Stir well to combine. If you think the mixture is too thick, add ½ cup of water. Seal the lid securely and set the vent to “SEALING”. Then, choose the “PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL” setting on high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 3 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid. While the curry is still warm, add the baby spinach and fresh lemon juice. Mix until the spinach has fully wilted. If the curry seems too liquid, don’t worry. Simply switch back to SAUTE mode and let it boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. Chickpea Coconut Milk Curry is ready. Serve hot with basmati rice, jeera rice, or quinoa, along with mango lassi.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same steps as the Instant Pot. Cook the chickpeas and coconut curry in the stovetop pressure cooker for 1 whistle on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
Stovetop Pot Method
Take ½ cup of dried chickpeas, and soak overnight or at least 4+ hours in hot water. You can cook the soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Alternatively, you can use canned chickpeas for this recipe. Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Pressure cook on high heat for 4-5 whistles, followed by natural pressure release. Instant Pot: Pressure cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 20 minutes with natural pressure release. Heat oil in a pot (or Dutch oven). Add cumin seeds, and bay leaf, and let cumin seeds splutter. Then, add the onions, minced ginger, and garlic. Saute the onions until they turn light brown. Then add tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes along with the juice), and spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add pre-cooked or canned chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, and salt. Stir to combine. If you think the mixture is too thick, add ½ cup of water. Close the lid and simmer the curry on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. While the curry is still warm, add the spinach and fresh lemon juice. Mix until the spinach has fully wilted. Chickpea Curry is ready.
How to Store Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freeze: Freeze the curry in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags for up to 2 months. Reheat: Reheat in a microwave or stovetop until warm, and serve. If it’s frozen, defrost first and then reheat.
Variations
Vegetables: For added nutrition, you can add hearty veggies of your choice, like carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, pumpkin, or green leafy veggies like kale instead of spinach. Spices: Don’t have the dry spices mentioned in this recipe? No problem, you can replace them with 1 - 1.5 tablespoons of curry powder instead. Other Protein: You can add plant-based proteins like air fried tofu or paneer to this curry. Using Bhuna Masala: In this chickpea curry recipe, you can use ¾ cup of Bhuna Masala (onion tomato masala) in place of the onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato sauce. Add the oil and whole spices. Then add the Bhuna Masala and saute for about a minute. Then, add the ground spices and follow the same recipe.
More Instant Pot Indian Curry Recipes
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Indian breads like rotis, naan, parathas, or poori. Basmati rice, jeera rice or quinoa, Indian cucumber salad, and pickle on the side for a complete meal.
