Looking for a curry that doesn’t include coconut milk? Peanut Butter Curry is for you. Looking for a rich, comforting, one-pot meal that’s easily adaptable to what you have in the house? This is for you. Looking for an excuse to eat more peanut butter? THIS IS FOR YOU! It’s rich, it’s decadent, it’s comforting, and it’s highly nutritious. It’s also perfect for cold-weather nights.
I wanted to call this “Whatever You Have in the House Curry,” but I figured that wouldn’t rank as well on google. That said, you really can make this Peanut Butter Curry with just about anything you have in the house. The more vegetables you can cram in here, the better.
A few notes on substitutions:
No chickpeas in the house? Sub in tofu, frozen peas, mung beans or lentils. No broccoli on hand? Leave it out, or sub in cauliflower or kale. No kale? Use spinach. Not feeling the zucchini? Try green beans, snap peas or bell peppers. You don’t even need the peanut butter, people! You could substitute almond butter instead (incidentally, that would boost the calcium content of this dish.) The only rule is: Add slow-cooking vegetables (like roots, onions, squash and sweet potatoes) early, and quick-cooking vegetables (like broccoli, green beans and greens) later.
Peanut Butter Chickpea Curry
Serves 4 to 6. Active time: About 20 minutes Inactive time: About 15 minutes
Ingredients (in order of appearance)
(Read serving suggestions for additional ingredients)
- 1 medium onion or leek, medium dice
- 2-3 carrots, medium dice
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch nub of ginger, minced or micro-planed*
- 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (Optional. Leave out if cooking for littles)
- 1 large can (796 ml) diced tomatoes + 1 full can of water
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup natural peanut butter (depending on how rich you like it, and depending on your energy needs)
- 2 tbsp Braggs Amino Acids or tamari
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 large can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 small zucchini, sliced (or half of a large zucchini)
- 1 small head of broccoli
- Peel the stem and dice the insides. This can be added to the pot with the onions and carrots.
- Chop the head into small florets. This will be added in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- 1 cup or two of chopped kale
*I wash a big hunk of ginger like the one in the photo and store it in the freezer, skin on. Then when I need ginger in a recipe like this, I use a micro-planer and plane it directly into the pot. Alternatively, cut off chunk and mince it. When it’s frozen, you can peel it easily with a spoon.
Method
- Wash and chop your veggies
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and a small splash of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, curry powder, turmeric and cumin and cook, stirring continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Now add everything but the broccoli and greens! After you’ve dumped in the tomatoes, fill the tomato can with water and add that too. Peanut butter, chickpeas, amino acids, maple syrup, all of that goes in now. Stir until the peanut butter is well incorporated.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through. About 10 minutes.
- Stir in the broccoli and kale and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lime if desired. If too thick, add 1/2 cup of water or more to reach the desired consistency.
Options for serving…. Depending on how fancy you feel / what’s in the house
- Serve with soba noodles, brown rice, quinoa, or whole meal couscous
- Garnish with lots of fresh Thai basil / fresh lime / chopped peanuts or cashews / Fresh coriander
- Serve with Indian mixed pickle or Chili Garlic Sauce
That’s it folks! I hope you enjoy it.
If you need help to level up your nutrition habits, or figure out how thrive on a plant-based diet – hit me up! You can check out my coaching programs here, and you can always reach out for a free, 30 minute consultation to see if my services might be right for you. 🙂