Vegan chickpea and peach curry

Vegan chickpea and peach curry with coconut milk, spinach and lime: fruity, creamy and well spiced. A quick curry with chickpeas, peaches and a gentle heat.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 480 kcal per serving
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Carbs: 45 g

Ingredients

• 1 tin of soft chickpeas
• 1 large red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 handful of baby spinach
• 1 tin of full-fat coconut milk
• 2 peaches
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 small pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 heaped tbsp yellow curry powder
• Salt
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp turmeric

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · sieve · wooden spoon

1. Rinse the chickpeas. Finely slice the onion and garlic and cut the peaches into wedges.
2. Warm the coconut oil in a large pan and soften the onion and garlic over a medium heat until soft and translucent.
3. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric and chilli flakes and toast briefly until fragrant. Then pour in the coconut milk and stir until smooth.
4. Add the chickpeas to the sauce and simmer gently until it gets a little creamier. Then fold in the peaches and let them warm through briefly.
5. Finally, stir in the baby spinach until it wilts. Season to taste with salt and lime juice.
6. Serve hot, ideally straight from the pan, so the peaches stay juicy and the spinach tender.

Good to know

This curry is soft and well spiced, with a fruity side that really works. It's lovely on days when you want something uncomplicated but still a bit special.

Swaps

Full-fat coconut milk → unsweetened almond or cashew milk plus 1 tbsp almond butter (less saturated fat, still creamy; contains tree nuts) Coconut oil → extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (more unsaturated fats) Peaches → apricots or mango in moderate amounts (similarly fruity, depending on ripeness often a little more fibre or vitamins) Yellow curry powder → curry paste without added sugar or seed oils (often a more intense flavour, so less salt is needed)

Allergens

The curry is free from the common allergens milk and egg, but contains coconut, which can occasionally cause intolerances. Keep the heat mild for children; in pregnancy, all the ingredients are fine in normal kitchen amounts, as long as the chickpeas are heated thoroughly.

Frequently asked questions

What's in chickpeas nutritionally?

Chickpeas provide fibre, plant protein, folate, iron, magnesium and manganese. Depending on the variety and processing, how well they agree with you can vary a little.

Are the peaches in the curry just there for flavour?

Not only. Besides fruit acids and natural sweetness, peaches also bring some vitamin C, potassium and carotenoids, though not in very large amounts.

How does coconut milk fit in from a nutrition point of view?

Coconut milk mainly provides fat, mostly saturated fat. It contains only moderate amounts of micronutrients and is more interesting for texture and flavour than as a nutrient focus.

Does the spinach matter for its nutrients here?

Yes, even in a smaller amount, spinach contributes folate, vitamin K and carotenoids. There are also minerals such as potassium and some magnesium.

How well do chickpeas and spices suit sensitive people?

Chickpeas contain fermentable carbohydrates, which can cause wind in some people, especially with larger portions. Chilli and curry blends can also irritate a sensitive stomach or gut.

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