Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry

By Nigella Lawson

Updated May 31, 2024

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
5(770)
Comments
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This is a warming rather than hot curry. You can taste the spices and enjoy their aromatic fullness. The ginger, chile and pepper flakes provide heat, while the coriander and cumin add a pleasurable earthiness. Meanwhile, the sweetness of the coconut milk, heightened by the soothing starchiness of the sweet potatoes, has as a counterpoint the fierce tang of tamarind. As a side dish, this recipe would be fine without the chickpeas, but as a meal, along with rice and maybe some steamed broccolini, they add heft and, if you're interested, protein.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 2medium red onions, peeled
  • 1clove garlic, peeled
  • 1bird's eye pepper, Thai chili or other very hot small pepper with its seeds
  • 12½- to-3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 3tablespoons canola oil
  • ½teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • ½teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1½teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 3cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • Salt
  • 2pounds (about 3 medium) orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½- to-1-inch cubes
  • 1¾cups coconut milk
  • 1tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 2¼cups hot chicken or vegetable broth
  • 4 to 5cups (about 4 15½-ounce cans, drained) canned or cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • 2tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • Cooked white rice for serving (optional)
  • Steamed broccolini for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

450 calories; 19 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 954 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a food processor, combine onions, garlic, hot pepper and ginger. Pulse until finely chopped. Place oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion mixture and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add hot pepper flakes, ground ginger, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, cardamom pods and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to mix. Add sweet potatoes and stir until well covered in spices. Stir in the coconut milk.

  3. Step 3

    Dissolve tamarind paste in hot broth and add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 25 minutes. (Taste potatoes to be sure they are cooked all the way through, and allow additional cooking time if necessary.)

  4. Step 4

    Add chickpeas and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Transfer to a warmed bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve, if desired, with white rice and broccolini.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
770 user ratings
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Comments

Kevin Osinski

I used 4 c home-cooked chickpeas and used the cooking liquid instead of vegetable broth. I also substituted lime juice for the tamarind, with no added sugar. Since I didn't have to dissolve tamarind in the stock, I used only about 1 c of broth plus one can of coconut milk to cook the sweet potatoes. Use additional broth to adjust consistency to taste: I wanted a fairly thick, creamy sauce.

A good "clean-out-the-fridge" recipe. I added quartered mushrooms, spinach and cherry tomatoes.

M

If you're close to 2lbs on sweet potatoes it's okay. You're gonna need more than 2 1/4 cups of broth because the potatoes are a lot. Also you don't need 4 cans of chickpeas, 2 are enough. The tamarind doesn't really come thru but this is delicious. You could serve it on rice but you don't really need to.

It's perfect

Didn't have tamarind. Nigella Lawson suggests equal amounts of lime juice and light brown sugar as a substitute. I followed the recipe as written and in my opinion it cannot be improved

Lily

Skipped the onion due to a food sensitivity, used only water not broth as we're vegetarian, and made a mix of cranberry juice, worcestershire sauce and rice vinegar to substitute for the tamarind. Used 2 small cans of coconut milk. Cut down the chickpeas to 2 cans (4 cans seemed a lot). Turned out delicious, and will be making again. Very tasty, warming and not overly spicy Fall meal, served over red quinoa.

Debi

Not sure of the raves here. Was fine & relatively quick to throw together, but not a show-stopper as far as curries go. Still, a decent vegetarian mid-week meal that I can get my DH to eat! ;o)

Rob Davis

Like Kevin (before me) I used only one cup of chicken broth and one can of coconut milk, but it depends on your desired consistency. I also substituted Worcester sauce for tamarind. Delicious

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