Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)

Here’s a really great authentic Chickpea Curry that’s made from scratch but is extremely easy! Say goodbye to boring chickpea recipes – this one packs serious flavours but you won’t need to hunt down any unusual spices. You may even have them all!

This vegetarian curry is one of those foods where carnivores truly don’t miss the meat. (I am, of course, referring to myself 🙂 ) And it’s super healthy – 280 calories per serve!

Chickpea Curry 

This curry tastes just like Indian curry you get from restaurants. I really mean that.

It has great layers of flavour. Real punchy flavours. And it’s made from scratch – no curry pastes here!

The roots of this particular curry is Trinidad in the Caribbean. But it really tastes just like Indian curries (the tomato based ones, not the creamy ones).

I don’t know if you’ve ever made Indian curries at home before, but I have. And with a few exceptions – like Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala and Biryani– the list of spices almost always includes spices that I need to hunt down at speciality spice stores or Indian grocery stores.

And therein lies the reason why I am obsessed with this. It’s made with spices you can get from your local supermarket. And just as much flavour.

Big flavours. BIG. HUGE!

This Chickpea curry is slightly adapted from a recipe by Imma from Immaculate Bites, an African-Caribbean food blog. Until I came across Imma’s site, I actually didn’t know that much about Caribbean cuisine. Did you know that Caribbean food is a fusion of many different cuisines, including African, American Indian, European, Indian, Arabic and Chinese? Traditions brought to the region by the population.

And this Chana Aloo Curry (Chana = chickpeas, Aloo = potatoes), is one such example. A Caribbean recipe that tastes very Indian!

Ingredients in Chickpea Potato Curry

A great tasting curry from scratch will always call for a fair few spices. However, the really nice thing about this curry recipe is that all the spices are ones you can find at everyday supermarkets.

For me, these are standard pantry spices – and I’m betting I am not the only one! (Bonus: If you’re missing one or two – other than curry powder – it’s not the end of the world.)

The Curry Powder

The main spice used is curry powder. These are the curry powders I typically use – but any brand should be fine, I’ve used plenty over the years.

 Other recipes that use curry powder

Don’t feel restricted to just use curry powder in Indian-style curries. It’s used in all sorts of recipes, such as:

Curried Sausages

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Curried Rice

Chicken Curry

Amazing Easy Thai Coconut Soup

Chicken Satay Curry (Malaysian)

Making the Chickpea Potato Curry

Measuring out those spices is definitely the step that takes the most time in this recipe!! So once that’s done, it’s a pretty effortless recipe:

• Sauté garlic and onion

• Sauté spices (brings out the flavour)

• Coat potato in the spices

• Add everything else (chickpeas, tomato, broth/stock)

• Simmer to reduce and thicken, then stir in green onion and parsley at the end

Want to make a lower carb version?

Try this Vegetable Curry! Same sauce, but made with vegetables instead of chickpeas and potato.

What to serve with Chickpea Curry

Rice is essential to soak up all that sauce – preferably basmati rice. If you want to go all out, serve it with Coconut Rice. The combination of the subtle, sweet coconut flavour with the big spicy flavours in this curry is SO GOOD!

If you want to cut back on the carbs, try cauliflower rice (please, someone remind me to share this recipe, I mention it so often!).

Also, a dollop of yogurt goes nicely – the fresh cool tang tempers the spiciness and adds a touch of creaminess.

You get bonus points if you go to the effort of serving these authentic Naan, the perfect vehicle to scoop up that wickedly delicious curry sauce!!! Otherwise, these yeast-free Easy Soft Flatbreads are simpler and taste just like naan.

– Nagi x

Chickpea Potato Curry (Chana Aloo Curry)
Watch how to make it

Fresh salad on the side

• Cabbage, Carrot, Mint Salad – great refreshing salad, ideal to pair with curries

• Indian Tomato Salad

• Everyday Cabbage Salad

And – more great curries of the world!

• Biryani (it’s amazing!)

• Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken

• Dal (Indian lentil curry)

• Thai Red Curry and Green Curry

• Massaman Curry

• Goan Fish Curry

• Browse the Curry Collection

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Easy Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 40 mins

Curry, Dinner

Caribbean, Trinidad

4.93 from 162 votes

Servings5

Tap or hover to scale

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Recipe video above. A Caribbean curry from Trinidad that tastes very similar to tomato based Indian curries. This curry has incredible flavour, and is one of the easiest real curries because you won't need to trek to the speciality store for the spices, you can get everything from the supermarket! Spice level: Medium (Note 1)

Ingredients

Spices (Note 2):

• ▢ 2 tbsp curry powder (Note 3)
• ▢ 1 tsp All Spice powder
• ▢ 1 tsp nutmeg powder (or 1/2 tsp freshly grated)
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or normal or sweet)
• ▢ 2 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 3 tsp fresh)
• ▢ 1 tsp cumin powder
• ▢ 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp white pepper (or 1/2 tsp black pepper)

Curry

• ▢ 3 tbsp (65ml) cooking oil (I used vegetable)
• ▢ 2 large garlic cloves , minced
• ▢ 1 large onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups (225g) potatoes , cut into 1.2cm / 1/2" cubes
• ▢ 28 oz / 800g canned chickpeas (2 x 14oz/400g cans) , drained (Note 3)
• ▢ 14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 2 cups (500ml) vegetable or chicken broth/stock
• ▢ 2 scallion/shallot stems , sliced (green & white part)
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped (or coriander/cilantro)
• ▢ Salt to taste

Serving - choose

• ▢ Basmati rice
• ▢ White rice

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large pot or very deep skillet over medium high heat.
• Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes until onion is translucent. 
• Add Curry Spices and stir for 1 minute.
• Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the Spices. If the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pot, add a tiny splash of water.
• Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and vegetable or chicken broth. Bring to simmer then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce has thickened.
• Adjust salt to taste, stir through scallions/shallots and parsley.
• Serve with rice - basmati would be ideal, or Coconut Rice if you're wanting to impress. To go all out, add some Easy Soft Flatbreads!

Recipe Notes:

1. Spiciness: If you use a mild rather than super hot curry powder, this recipe has a medium level of curry because then the spiciness is coming from the cayenne and white pepper. If you are concerned about the spiciness, mix the spices together without the cayenne pepper, then do a taste test before adding into the pot.

3. Spices: Because there are quite a number of spices, it's not the end of the world if you skip one or two of them (except curry powder!). It won't taste quite the same but still really great. The ones that aren't that critical (in isolation) are: nutmeg, thyme, cayenne, pepper, and All Spice.

3. Curry Powder: This can be made with any curry powder you have / want. I've made it with Clives of India, Keens and Hoyts over the years (brands sold at Australian grocery stores) as well as curry powders from Indian stores, and they were all great. 

Note: Curry powders differ in spiciness! Only use HOT if you can handle the heat!

4. Chickpeas - This recipe is terrific made with any beans or lentils. The spicy curry sauce is terrific with cannellini beans, navy, great northern, kidney, black beans, butter beans, lima beans, and any type of lentils.

Dried chickpeas - 1 standard can is about 1.5 cups / 250g once drained, so you need 3 cups / 500g of cooked chickpeas. Dried chickpeas increase by about 3.2x once cooked, so you will need 1 cup / 165g dried chickpeas which will yield just over 3 cups once cooked. 

5. Storage - Keeps extremely well, nothing in this goes off quickly. Fridge 5 days (or longer if you're comfortable!),  freezes brilliantly too. When I'm in a curry, I partially thaw in the microwave (just to loosen from container) then finish heating through on the stove. Otherwise, can also thaw and reheat completely in microwave.

6. Source: This recipe is slightly modified from the Curry Channa and Aloo recipe from Immaculate Bites. Original recipe called for 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, finely chopped. I've simplified it by using cayenne pepper for spiciness - I honestly can't tell the difference (I've tried both ways). Also, the original recipe did not call for canned tomatoes. Some Trinidad Chana Aloo Curry recipes do. I added it to create a slightly thicker sauce.

Nutrition per serving, curry only (excludes rice).

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 526gCalories: 248cal (12%)Carbohydrates: 32g (11%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 11g (17%)Sodium: 759mg (33%)Potassium: 733mg (21%)Fiber: 8g (33%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 945IU (19%)Vitamin C: 18.6mg (23%)Calcium: 103mg (10%)Iron: 5.6mg (31%)

Keywords: Chickpea curry, easy curry recipe

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published January 2016. Updated with new photos, new video and entirely rewritten post in February 2019. No change to recipe.

Life of Dozer

No curry for you, too spicy! What will you give me for this drumstick…???