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Japanese Chickpea Curry

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Japanese Chickpea Curry

Japanese Chickpea Curry is a comforting staple that finds its way to the home dinner table, offering warmth and sustenance. This dish reflects the Japanese home cooking style, where salt is thoughtfully pinched rather than measured, and oil is used with a generous hand. It's a simple yet satisfying meal, capturing the essence of everyday family life.

The curry is rich and earthy, with the chickpeas providing a hearty base. The cumin adds a subtle warmth, while the tomatoes and onions meld into a sweet and savory sauce. Each spoonful is a balance of flavors, inviting diners to savor the comfort of home-cooked simplicity.

Ingredients

  • 400 gchickpeas — cooked
  • 1onion
  • 2tomatoes
  • 2 tbspoil
  • 1 tspcumin
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by preparing your ingredients: finely chop 1 onion and dice 2 tomatoes. Drain and rinse 400 g chickpeas thoroughly. This preparation ensures that all components are ready to be added to the pan at the right moment, allowing for a smooth cooking process.
  2. In a large, deep skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion. Cook the onion slowly, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent and soft, releasing a sweet aroma. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes, ensuring the onion forms a flavorful base for the curry.
  3. Sprinkle 1 tsp cumin into the pan with the softened onions. Stir well to coat the onions with the cumin, allowing the spice to bloom in the oil. This step enhances the curry's flavor, as the heat releases the essential oils in the cumin, creating a fragrant base.
  4. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan, stirring them into the onion and cumin mixture. Cook until the tomatoes break down and meld with the onions, forming a thick, cohesive sauce. This should take a few minutes, and you'll notice the mixture turning a rich, deep color.
  5. Introduce the drained chickpeas to the pan, stirring them into the tomato-onion sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are heated through and have absorbed some of the sauce. The chickpeas should be tender and well-coated with the flavorful mixture.
  6. Season the curry with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste, stirring well to ensure even distribution. Taste the curry and adjust the seasoning as needed, keeping in mind that the flavors should be balanced and harmonious.
  7. Once the curry has reached the desired consistency and flavor, remove it from the heat. Serve the Japanese Chickpea Curry hot, ideally with steamed rice or naan, and enjoy it as part of a shared meal, embodying the spirit of Japanese home cooking.
Cover of Authentic Japanese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Japanese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Japanese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Japanese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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