Aloo Chana Curry is a hearty, comforting, and full-flavored South Indian curry. It's made with potatoes(Aloo), chickpeas(Chana), creamy coconut milk, and a rich tomato gravy. A warming Madras spice blend brings it to life, and it's served with fluffy rice.
It's naturally vegan and even if you're a meat lover like myself, you won't miss it one bit as it's packed with flavor, filling and would you believe it, extremely healthy.
Whether you’re a curry enthusiast or trying it for the first time, this recipe is simple, delicious, and perfect for any night of the week. It’s budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and easily adjustable to suit any diet.
I've made this recipe specifically for those too busy to treat cooking like a project or spend time finding obscure spices.
However, suppose you consider yourself an adventurous cook and want to go the extra mile. In that case, I have a fantastic homemade Madras masala recipe and a very convenient Indian curry paste recipe. I often use both in my butter chicken, Kerala chicken curry, and Cape Malay bobotie.
If you miss the protein or want to know how to adjust the recipe, I've made a very convenient “alternatives and substitutions” section in this post.
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Curry Basics
If you make curry regularly, it's worth having some basics at hand that can save you time on cooking and make your life stress-free. These are not required for this recipe, but it's worth bookmarking them for future reference.
Ingredients for potato chickpea curry
- Potatoes - Use any type you like. Russet, Yukon gold, or red potatoes all shine.
- Chickpeas - Tinned chickpeas are very convenient, but feel free to use homemade pre-boiled chickpeas if you keep them on hand.
- Curry Powder - If you're not making your curry powder from scratch, use a good quality store-bought brand. I prefer McCormick curry powder for flavor and freshness.
- Onions - Regular white or yellow onions are best. Red onions are not usually used, but in case you only have those, then by all means use them.
- Ginger - Fresh ginger root. Powdered ginger is ok, but it does not provide the same flavor.
- Garlic - Along with ginger it forms the foundation of almost all curries. If you cook curry often, then make a garlic and ginger paste and keep it in the freezer for convenience.
- Peppers - These are optional, although highly recommended. If you have a low spice tolerance, then simply use a tiny amount to your liking. I like using Thai bird's eye chilies for the best heat flavor balance.
- Chopped tomatoes - Tinned chopped tomatoes are convenient and deliver consistent results.
- Tomato paste - Use your favorite brand.
- Coconut milk - Coconut milk is lighter than coconut cream. I use the widely available Arroy D brand, which has never disappointed me.
- Lime - Use fresh lime instead of bottled lime juice for the best flavor.
- Cilantro - Only for sprinkling on top when you serve it, so skip it if you can't find it or don't like it.
- Seasoning - All food, especially curries, needs to be seasoned and balanced with salt, acid, and sweetness at a minimum. Season with salt as you cook so that the flavors build as you cook it. Balance with a touch of sugar to remove overly sour tomato flavors, then lift and brighten the flavor with lime juice right before serving.
See recipe card for quantities.
Making the curry
- Step 1: Prep and weigh all the ingredients before you start cooking. Firstly you mince the ginger and garlic, finely chop the onion and chilies, then peel and dice the potato. Fry the ginger and garlic together on medium heat in your fat or oil of choice. Add the onions and chilies, then cook it out until fragrant and translucent. Remember to season as you go.
- Step 2: Add the tomato paste, then cook that out to remove the raw tomato paste flavor, If using store-bought curry powder then add that with the tomato paste. If you toasted and ground homemade masala, there's no need to cook it out.
- Step 3: Add the chopped tomatoes along with the curry powder if you haven't done so already. Stir well to combine over medium heat.
- Step 4: Add the potato, drained chickpeas, coconut milk and a touch of water or stock. At this point, season a touch more and also add a touch of sugar.
- Step 5: Simmer your chickpea curry for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Keep an eye on it, and often stir to avoid burning. This is a good time to cook some fluffy rice.
- Step 6: Serve alongside the rice with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and flatbread or naan if you fancy.
Video
Substitutions and variations
- Vegetables - If you would like to make a less carb-rich version of this chickpea curry, you can replace the potatoes with sweet potatoes or pumpkin, which come in at 15 points less on the glycemic index.
- Coconut milk - You can replace the coconut milk with cream if you don't like it, and for a lighter gravy, use vegetable or chicken stock.
- Fat - If you are not making the vegan version of this curry, you can use ghee (clarified butter) to fry in and then add a knob of butter right at the end for extra luxuriousness. If you are looking for a heart-healthy version, use extra virgin olive oil to fry in. It's safe at these low temperatures and the flavor will be masked by the spices and other ingredients while still providing health benefits.
- Protein - Potato and chickpea curry is of course a hearty filling curry as is, but you might want to add some protein because your diet calls for it, or you simply fancy it. You can simply add boneless chicken breast or shrimp to make this curry fit for the carnivores.
- Kid-friendly - Kids usually, but not always, don't do well with spicy food, and the added chili in this recipe could cause trouble. Consider simply removing it from the recipe when cooking for a wide audience that might have trouble with spiciness.
What to serve with chickpea curry
These are some of my favorite recipes to serve with or alongside potato and chickpea curry:
Storage and reheating
It's universally known that curry is better the next day or the day after. This makes it perfect for cooking ahead and storing in the fridge. It will be good for 4 to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze it for up to 6 months without losing quality.
To reheat, defrost in the microwave on the defrost setting or leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw completely.
Reheat to a gentle simmer before serving.
Top Tip
Making great curry is easy, but you have to remember to balance the flavors and salt as you cook to build layers of flavor. Salting food at the end will result in the sauce being salty and the rest of the ingredients bland.
Only add lime or lemon juice at the end to retain the freshness.
FAQ
Yes! While canned chickpeas offer convenience, dried chickpeas provide a fantastic texture. Just ensure you soak them overnight and cook until tender before adding to the curry.
The spice level is completely customizable. This recipe is very mild, but you can easily adjust by reducing or increasing the chili peppers.
Absolutely! This curry tastes even better the next day as the spices continue to meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Absolutely! This curry freezes beautifully for up to 6 months. Freeze in individual portions for easy weeknight meals.
No worries! A mix of turmeric, cumin, coriander, and a pinch of cayenne can create a similar flavor.
Equipment
Casserole Dish
Cooking Apron
Gyuto Japanese Chefs Knife
Microplane Grater
Other curry recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Potato And Chickpea Curry - Aloo Chana
Ingredients
- 20 grams (20 grams) garlic - finely minced - note 1
- 20 grams (1 Thumb sized pices) ginger - finely minced
- 100 grams (1 cup) onion - finely chopped
- 3 whole (3 each) green chilies - finely chopped - note 2
- 200 grams (1⅓ cups) potato - peeled and diced
- 250 grams (1 ½ cups) cooked chickpeas - drained and rinsed if using canned - note 3
- 250 grams (1 cups) chopped tomatoes - tinned or fresh
- 20 grams (1 tablespoon) tomato paste
- 6 grams (1 tablespoon) curry powder - note 4
- 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) coconut milk - note 5
- 100 ml (⅓ cups) water or stock
- 8 grams (2 teaspoon) sugar
- 6 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
- Juice of ½ lime
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
Cooking the curry
- Prep and weigh all the ingredients before you start cooking. Firstly you mince the ginger and garlic, finely chop the onion and chilies, then peel and dice the potato. Fry the ginger and garlic together on medium heat in your fat or oil of choice. Add the onions and chilies, then cook it out until fragrant and translucent. Remember to season as you go.
- Add the tomato paste, then cook that out to remove the raw tomato paste flavor, If using store-bought curry powder then add that with the tomato paste. If you toasted and ground homemade masala, there's no need to cook it out.
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with the curry powder if you haven't done so already. Stir well to combine over medium heat.
- Add the potato, drained chickpeas, coconut milk and a touch of water or stock. At this point, season a touch more and also add a touch of sugar.
- Simmer the curry for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Keep an eye on it, and often stir to avoid burning.
Serving
Video
Notes
- Consider making garlic and ginger paste and storing it in the freezer for convenience. Especially, if you cook curry regularly.
- I use Thai Chilies. You can increase the amount to make it hotter or leave it out if you want it milder.
- You can use pre-soaked and cooked homemade chickpeas too. Do not use dried chickpeas straight from the packet. It won't cook and the curry will be spoiled.
- When buying a curry powder use a mild non-spicy version. It will usually say it on the packaging. I recommend making this Madras curry blend from scratch for the best results if you have the time.
- Use lighter coconut milk if you want to reduce the calories or replace it with cream if you are not making a vegan version or don't like coconut milk.
Storage
- Refrigerator - Store for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer - Portion and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating
- From Fridge - Gentle heat with a splash of water or microwave on Medium power, stirring halfway through.
- From Freezer - Thaw overnight in fridge then reheat gently, adding liquid if needed. Stir occasionally for even warming.
Dietary Adaptations
- Keto: Swap potatoes and chickpeas for cauliflower and add protein.
- Low-Fat: Use light coconut milk or replace with stock.
- Extra Protein: Add tofu, chicken, or shrimp.
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