Aloo Chana (Kurma Style Chickpea Potato Curry)

Ingredients

Coconut Paste

• 60g (⅔ cup) grated raw coconut (or 80ml / ⅓ cup thick coconut milk)
• 20 cashews (or 1 tbsp nut butter)
• 2 tsp fennel seeds (or ¾ tsp ground fennel)
• 240ml (1 cup) water (omit if using coconut milk)

Whole Spices

• 2 bay leaves or 1 sprig curry leaves (or both)
• 2 star anise
• 2 strands mace
• 1 tsp shahi jeera, caraway, or cumin seeds
• 6 green cardamoms
• 6 cloves
• 15cm true cinnamon stick (or 2.5cm cassia)

Curry

• 6 tbsp oil
• 240g (about 2 cups) onion, sliced or chopped
• 2–4 green chilies, slit (omit for no heat)
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste (or ½ inch fresh ginger + 3 garlic cloves, crushed)
• 250g (about 1½ cups) fresh tomatoes, chopped and deseeded
• 4–6 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 150g (⅔ cup) thick yogurt (omit for vegan)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1½–2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, to taste
• 1½–2 tsp garam masala, to taste
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 660g (4 cups) cooked chickpeas (or 2 × 400g cans, drained and rinsed)
• 450g potatoes, diced into 3–4cm pieces, parboiled
• 360ml (1½ cups) water or chickpea cooking liquid
• 4 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Make the Coconut Paste

1. Blend coconut, cashews, fennel seeds, and water in a small blender until smooth. Set aside. (If using coconut milk, skip this step.)

Cook the Curry

2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add whole spices and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add curry leaves (if using) and onion. Sauté until golden.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and green chili. Sauté 1 minute, then add tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break down to a mush.
4. Stir in salt, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala. Add mint leaves and sauté until aromatic, 1–2 minutes.
5. Add yogurt and cook down for 2–3 minutes.
6. Add chickpeas, parboiled potatoes, water or stock, and coconut paste. Stir to combine.
7. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and simmer for 6–8 minutes until thick and aromatic. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of hot water. The gravy will thicken further as it cools.
8. Taste and adjust with salt, garam masala, or kasuri methi. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice, ghee rice, pulao, chapati, roti, or dosa.

Vegan: Omit the yogurt, or substitute with a few tablespoons of thick coconut milk or a plant-based yogurt.

Whole spices: These are optional — omit any you don’t have. They are not eaten; push them to the side when serving.

Coconut milk shortcut: Replace the coconut paste entirely with 80ml (⅓ cup) thick canned coconut milk stirred in at step 6.