(Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala

March 2, 2016

(Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala


I had a group of friends over for dinner on Saturday night. One of the guests was vegan, which I actually love because it’s always a bit of a challenge.
As I was planning the menu, I knew right away I wanted to make my super delicious Easy Pumpkin Masala that wins rave reviews and sometimes even a standing ovation (seriously, I am not kidding!)
I also wanted to make some tikka masala. But I couldn’t make my award-winning chicken tikka masala. Because, you know, chicken and THEN the gravy (made with yogurt or cream) - so yeah, not vegan at all.
But then I thought that it’s such a shame that vegans miss out on something delicious like tikka masala.
So I got down to it and made this delicious and vegan Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala.
Chicken is replaced with chickpeas (the meatiest legume ever) and coconut milk is used instead of heavy cream.

Chickpeas


Now I understand that chickpeas are NOT paleo-friendly; but I decided to cook this dish anyway because I wanted to serve some sort of heart-healthy protein to my guests.
Plus, I figured since hummus is not a paleo-diet killer (or is it?), the chickpeas themselves are okay for the occasional consumption of legumes. Not to mention that even the paleo Almighty Chris Kresser believes that “eating a few servings of legumes a week is fine as long you tolerate them well.
Last — but definitely not least — not all of you guys follow the paleo diet. Actually, I think that just a fraction of my readers are cavemen.
So, why not chickpeas, for once...

(Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala


Here’s the lowdown about this dish: rich, spicy, hearty, delicious. That’s it. So good. This (Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala is awesome. Period.
If you love my Chicken Tikka Masala, I’m sure you’ll love this one too.
The gravy is delicious and works perfectly with the chickpeas.
All of my guests forgot they were eating vegan as they polished this off. You might just do the same.

(Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala


(Vegan) Easy Chickpea Tikka Masala                                                                                             Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 two-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 (15 oz / 425 gr) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz / 410 gr) cans diced tomatoes
1 (13.5 oz / 400 ml) can full fat coconut milk (I used BPA-free Natural Value)
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, a pinch of salt, and sautè until translucent, about 6 minutes stirring every now and then. Add garlic and sautè for 1 more minute.
Add ginger and spices and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add chickpeas and diced tomatoes, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and simmer for 5 more minutes.
In a small bowl whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir in the chickpea mixture and cook for 5 more minutes or until the gravy has thickened.
Take a taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Remove from the heat, sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 393 calories, 13 grams of fat, 60 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of protein.

153 comments:

  1. I had to come by after I saw this on IG - and dude - WOW!
    I adore making masala with coconut milk - but haven't ever added cornstarch or arrowroot to it before - so gotta try that!

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    1. I like to use it because it makes the gravy super thick and creamy. Do give it a try!

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    2. Hi can I add ordinary milk instead of coconut milk??? It's not available nearby stores.

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    3. I added tmato puree for more depth. Great recipe.

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    4. I made this chickpea stew for lunch. Delicious recipe. I served over black rice.

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    5. Trader Joe's has a great canned coconut cream that might make for a thicker sauce than the milk and arrowroot. There's coconut yogurt too, now.

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    6. I make a similar dish using Anna Thomas' recipe from The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two and to thicken the sauce, she suggests smashing a few garbanzos against the side of the pot with a fork. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Works great

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  2. Yum! I love everything with chickpeas,I bet that your guests liked it very much!

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    1. They did, actually they (almost) licked their plates!

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  3. This looks amazing! Channa masala is such winter comfort food and yours looks seriously delish :) Pinning!

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  4. This looks gorgeous!Love the recipe :-)

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  5. I don't follow a paleo or vegan diet, so I eat all the things.. especially chickpeas in mass quantities. LOVING this tikka masala, Mike! Total flavor bomb of deliciousness going on here! I could eat this for dinner daily and be a very happy camper! Cheers, buddy!

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  6. You have me drooling here and it’s 8am! This has me super excited as we leave for India in 2 weeks, can’t wait. In reading the recipe and looking at these photos I am a fan of this easily. Not paleo or vegan either. :) #WolfpackInternational

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  7. I don't follow a paleo or vegan diet either, and I happened to be a huge fan of chickpeas. I've never combined chickpeas with coconut milk, and this sounds (and looks) amazing!

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    1. This IS amazing my friend. You should totally give it a try!

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  8. Hi Mike, this is one of my favorites, I can see why it was a big hit, looks delicious!

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  9. I love the challenge of cooking for a Vegan as well, (since I don't follow any particular diet myself) but I don't think it will be a challenge next time because I'm definitely making this!

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  10. Hi mike,good to see that you tried tikka recipe. I like chickpea recipes a lot and you might be surprised that i never used coconut milk in my recipes yet...I am very excited to try this tikka recipe in your way....

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    1. That's awesome. When you do try it, please report back. I'd love to hear your thoughts about it!

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  11. Yummers! This sounds and looks awesome definitely getting pinned!

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    1. Well, hello stranger! I'm so glad to "see" you. Thank you so much for stopping by Tam!

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  12. Hello! I wonder if you could swamp Xanthum Gum for Cornstarch? ....I have a ton I'm trying to use up!

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  13. I'm scaling this down to serve just two people. Is it simply making everything with 1/4 of what you have here? Or do you recommend I keep some ingredients the same? Thank you! Looking forward to trying it :D

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  14. Looks yummy! Do you know if it can be frozen?

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  15. This is an Awesome recipe and a great way to enjoy a vegitarian meal without sacrificing flavor!

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  16. Do you drain the tomatoes or leave the juice?

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  17. Do you drain the tomatoes or leave the juice?

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  18. 12 inches of ginger?! A foot of ginger? Is that right, or is it 1 2-inch?

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    1. It's 1 2-inch piece of ginger, definitely not a foot of ginger :D

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    2. Thank goodness! I also read it as 12 inches of ginger, and I am not a big fan of ginger. Can you please suggest how much ground ginger to use as a substitute for the fresh ginger? Thanks.

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  19. This is out of this world! I'm trying to eat better and your recipes are seriously helping! Made your pizza for the family a few nights back and they loved it. Did the Chicken Enchilada casserole kinda botched it. Pretty sure I burned the spices for the sauce.

    This however, is amazing! Served it with some brown basmati rice and the flavors were perfect. Repeating an earlier question, does this freeze well?

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  20. Hi, I was wondering, is that carb count including the rice? Because otherwise this over cauliflower would be legit and hopefully lower the overall carb count, right?

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  21. I made this for dinner tonight, and WOW! DELICIOUS! Thank you so much for the recipe. I used brown rice and it was fantastic. I also didn't use cornstarch or arrowroot as my sauce was already pretty thick.

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  22. You can use coconut milk in a vegan recipe??. I'm new to this vegan stuff.��

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  23. My daughter said she wants to be a vegan so I was searching for easy vegan recipes. I notice the recipe calls for coconut milk. Coconut milk is ok to use in a vegan recipe?

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  24. This dish was amazing!!! I omitted the paprika and cayenne (feeding 6&8 year olds) and the dish was still flavorful!!! It went perfectly with homemade naan and spiced rice. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful dish!!!

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    1. I get the cayenne but i have been eating Paprika since very little. Lots of flavor and little to no heat. Try it, they'll like it.

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  25. This recipe is almost unprecedented but it is also very healthy. Gotta give it two thumbs up!

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  26. I am making this tonight.... but is that one 2" piece of ginger or a 1/2" piece?

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  27. Hi, I am planning to convert to Gluten and Dairy free this week due to some unpleasant reactions to both, and I found this recipe, and I must say - this looks super yummy! Will have to make this for my family next time I am on dinner! :)

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  28. Wow this dish is spicy! did I do something wrong?

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  29. Do you think that if I omit the onions and maybe do 1/4 of the garlic (i'm allergic to onion and sensitive to garlic) I will still get the same tasting dish? I'm not sure how big of a role the onions and garlic play in this dish!

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  30. I just made this and ate it and it was AMAZING!! I really loved it. I'm trying to stop eating meat or dairy because it always seems to upset my stomach and bowels. Hope to find more recipes like this because this makes it easy :-D

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  31. Is that 3 x 425g chickpeas plus 2 x 410g tomatoes?

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    1. Yup, it makes for a big batch of tikka masala, enough to feed a crowd!

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  32. Just made this recipe for my vegan family, it turned out great and everyone loved it. Except I had to add a lot more cornstarch to thicken up the sauce, I think it's due to the fact that I didn't use full fat coconut milk by accident.
    Thanks for the recipe!

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  33. Two questions: do you drain the tomatoes before adding them? And, how many ounces of coconut milk do you need as coconut milk comes in different sized cans. Thank you!

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    1. Don't drain the tomatoes and use a 13.5oz can of coconut milk.
      Hope this helps!

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  34. Wow! This was amazing!!! I've had to have a lifestyle change due to high cholesterol so from never trying vegetarian meals to now having too- that was so good! Didn't change a thing!

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    1. That's awesome Phillipa. This recipe is proof that healthy food can taste delicious!

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  35. I came here for the pictures. Mike, what camera do you use, tell me about your setup. Well i loved the recipe, sharing it with other food lovers too

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  36. Made this for supper tonight. Yum! This recipe is a keeper!

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    1. Now that's what I like to hear!
      Thank you S for stopping by and letting me know.

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  37. I have NEVER written a review for a recipe before, but I HAD to come back and write about this one. I don't write reviews because I can hardly cook, so most of what I make does't turn out very well... But this recipe was amazing!!!! I have to quote my husband on this one (Please note that he legitimately licked his plate) " Can you please make this again before the leftovers run out?"
    You're a genius!

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  38. I haven't gone through all the comments to see if you already answered this -- is there a place online that you'd recommend for spices? There are plenty of speciality stores where I live but still there always seems to be some spice I can't find.

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  39. I made this today. Very quick and easy. It turned out amazing. My family and I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for the recipe! Wish I could post a picture to show you how mine turned out :)

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  40. So good. Thank you for this amazing recipe. Merci!

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  41. Filing this under Pinterest Win. 5 stars all the way buddy. Thanks so much!

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  42. Love this recipe! I also add diced potatoes and peas! I am gluten, soy and dairy free, so this is perfect.. thanks so much!

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  43. I followed this recipe to the T, and the sauce did not look anything like your picture. It looked chunky with the pieces of diced tomatoes, watery even though I added corn starch and cooked longer than advised in the recipe. The sauce did not stick to the chickpeas, and did not have a texture like any tikka masala I've ever eaten. The sauce had a nice flavor, but I was super disappointed by the texture. What went wrong, and how can I fix this?

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    1. Hey Valerie,
      I think the problem was with the diced tomatoes you used. Some brands are super watery and that waters down the gravy. Next time try using tomato sauce instead!

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  44. My friend made this for lunch the other day and it was amazing!! I am making for my husband and I for dinner this week. Does a sering = 1 cup? Thanks!

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    1. No, it's more than that. It's a like a full dinner plate. Makes sense?

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  45. My friend and I just made this. It was delicious. We added tomato sauce and lemon juice. I STRONGLY recommend you add those two.

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  46. I have done something wrong, but I am not sure what. When I added the canned coconut milk it became a huge watery dish and the gravy mixture didn't even seem to register. I ended up having to cook it for 20 min to reduce it down. Do you know where I may have erred? It smells so good! Thank you!

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  47. Will this freeze well? I'm thinking of making this tonight but will want to freeze the rest since it's just me. Thanks!

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  48. Really yummy recipe! Mine needed a little more corn starch and could have used something to deepen the flavor. Will definitely make again!

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  49. Another big advantage to using coconut milk as opposed to heavy cream is that you can freeze any leftover coconut milk, but cream will not freeze well. Put it in ice cube trays if you want to add to smoothies. Saving recipe. Looks like it is not too spicy

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  50. Though I often cook without meat or dairy, I am not vegan. The recipe sounds delicious, though I'm always hesitant to use full fat coconut milk, since it packs so much fat. I was wondering, as a non-vegan, could I sub nonfat plain greek yogurt for coconut milk? If so, in what proportions and would you recommend any further tweeks to accommodate the sub? Thanks!

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  51. Lovely recipe! I made this tonight for some meat-eater friends and they thoroughly enjoyed it!

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  52. Could I make this in the crock pot like your regular chicken masala recipe?

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    1. Did you every try it in the crockpot, Amalia? I'm also wondering if it would work or if the chickpeas would get mushy.

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  53. Has anyone used ginger paste instead of fresh ginger?

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    1. I've used fresh ginger, ginger paste and even ginger powder. Basically whatever version I have on hand. 😊

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  54. This was SO good. I used coconut cream (NOT cream of coconut) for its higher fat content and added some sorghum to balance the flavor. Since moving to Kentucky,I've found that sorghum lends itself very nicely to Indian/middle eastern spices. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. <3

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  55. Excellent recipe. I am so making this again! My family loved it!

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  56. I have made this several times and it is delish! We have been switching to a vegan diet and this is just one of those recipes that I can use again and again. My husband's only comment is that 'This is a restaurant quality dish'. This has become one of our staples on a cool fall day.

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  57. Hi, I am on strict diet and I see where is has the calories but not what the actual serving size is. Can you please tell me? Thank you.

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  58. Thank you for this deliciously simple recipe.

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  59. Can you recommend an alternative for the coconut milk? I have a LOT of food allergies, including coconut, almonds and bovine dairy products... I miss curries so much, but so many of them have cream or coconut in them.

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  60. Cashew cream using raw cashews. You can google Tal Ronnen's recipe.

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  61. I am new to your blog, and this is the first recipe I tried. This recipe is a winner when both my 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 year old daughters LOVE it! In fact, the 1 1/2 year old is on her second bowl now! Thank you! I will be trying more of your recipes! Thank you so much for sharing! Happy Mommy here!

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  62. Ha ha I read that as 12 inches of ginger and I thought whoa that's a lot of ginger...good thing I read the comments. I make a curry with sweet potatoes and chickpeas that I love - it's a lot like this recipe. I really like tikka masala so I will definitely try this! Do you make your own garam masala or do you have one you like to buy?

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  63. My husband's first reaction to seeing this dish in the pan was disappointment, he thought it wasn't going to hit the spot without chicken. In the end he declared delicious and went back for seconds. Thanks for sharing!

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  64. Have you ever added additional veggies in addition to the chickpeas. Would love to try it, but don't know if I need more sauce for adding the veggies. Thank you!

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    1. I think adding some peas, chopped green beans or cauliflower would be delicious!

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  65. Made this recipe for the first time tonight. I cooked the gravy extra long to reduce it a little and made basmati rice to accompany. My wife is a very selective eater and she went back for seconds. Spice was just right and the coconut milk was a really nice touch. I used arrowroot powder instead of corn starch. Thank you.

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  66. I have made this twice - it is delicious. Not being fully vegan I think it would also be great with chicken so I'm giving it a go. The curry sauce is beautiful.

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  67. If using dry chickpeas, how much do you need to make this.

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    1. One pound dry chickpeas is roughly equivalent to 3 cans of chickpeas.

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    2. ....but dried chickpeas will expand and may end up too much?? I'd Google it first :)

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  68. I was looking for things to do with chickpeas on Pinterest and found your recipe. It is delicious!

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  69. Just made this with a couple tweaks (coconut oil instead of olive oil and added green chillies) and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe 😊

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  70. I made this today and added tofu!! Soo goood!!!! :P

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  71. I made this and LOVED it. Very flavorful and delicious. Thank you for the recipe, it's a keeper.

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  72. how much coconut milk am i using? also if i decide to use heavy cream how much of that do i use?

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  73. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  74. Literally just finished eating this dish and had to comment- SO GOOD

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  75. thank you so very much. I received this from Pinterest and a few times a week. And it is absolutely delicious and terms of flavor in heat and spice and I love them all. Thank you so much very easy..very good.��

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  76. This dish is absolutely awesome! So delicious, and that it's vegan is perfect as I made dinner for someone with an allergy to milk. Everyone loved it:)
    Super good and easy to make.

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  77. You can add Greek yogurt instead but it’s not as nutritious for you as coconut milk. 😑

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  78. Made this one yesterday and I just fall in love with this one!!! Thank you so much for this recipe. So delicious!!!

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    1. That's awesome Lucia, I'm so glad you enjoyed it that much!

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  79. This was so yummy!!! I'd love to share a link to this page and your recipe on my blog if it's ok with you!

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    1. Can Nutritional yeast be used to give it the thick an creamy texture instead of arrowroot or yeast?

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    2. Can I sub nutritional yeast for the arrowroot or yeast?

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  80. Ths was so very good. A definite keeper! Thank you for the amazing recipe!

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  81. has anyone made this in a slow cooker??

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  82. Has anyone tried making this in a slow cooker?

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    1. I'm making this in the slow cooker right now and don't see any reason why it won't work. I plan on adding the chick peas towards the end - maybe an hour or so before eating? - so they don't get mushy. Otherwise, added everything else (save the cornstarch for thickening).

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    2. Yup, really good and worked well! I dumped most of the ingredients in around lunchtime, then put the chickpeas in about two hours before we ate. Also added chopped kale at the end.

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  83. Hi all. So my family and I are on our 3rd day of Vegan life. So happy but of course i'm getting comments like drink extra supplements and iron bc vegan diet is harmful and lacks vitamins. Help this beginner lol. What should i be taking if at all extra supplements.

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  84. We've had this twice already! Love it! I did add some Tandoori Masala to give it a little kick!

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  85. My husband isn't a big fan of either chickpeas or coconut milk - and he loved this recipe. :D Definitely a keeper!

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  86. This is one of my favorite dishes. I make it a couple of times a month. My 9 year old is the pickiest eater ever. She'll only eat like five things and even she loves it. Thanks for sharing!

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  87. This was great! The only thing i did not like was the coconut flavor. I love coconut but it made the masala taste sweet. Added some extra salt and pepper but it didn't cover up the coconut flavor. Not sure what to do to fix it. Might just do half a can of coconut milk next time.

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  88. I really wanted to like this, but the acidity of the tomatoes was overbearing. I think the flavor could have been enhanced by adding some tomato paste, or perhaps a touch of palm sugar to balance the acidity and allow the flavor of the spices to shine through. Perhaps it'll be better tomorrow once the flavors have had a chance to marry.

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  89. Hey, is there a way to make this in the Instapot? I know I can do all the sauteing in the pot beforehand, but should I dump everything in at once? Or should I hold off on adding the coconut milk and arrowroot until it's done? How long should I set it for?

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  90. I had a dish in Vegas that combined chicken and chickpeas for the masala. I figure it should be pretty simple to add chicken to this, but I wanted to ask for your suggestion on cooking the chicken - could it just go in the pan with everything else?

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  91. I ate a chickpea and chicken masala in vegas that was amazing. What's your suggestion for adding chicken to this? Could I cook it right in the same pan?

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  92. First time I tried this recipe. I added too much tomatoes. Second time around I got it ��! The taste was sensational. It's the best curry dish I've ever made. Totally scrumptious��!

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  93. i am making this for dinner tonight, love this recipe, God bless you!

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  94. Love this recipe!! My only concern is the how hot will it turn out to be, even by indian standards that much of paprika, cayenne pepper combined with a tablespoon of garam masala would wreak havoc inside the tummy!! Even a pinch of homemade garam masala packs a punch in most recipes, and we prefer adding it towards the end after everything has almost cooked. Just a suggestion for people new to cooking. Definitely trying out the recipe soon :)

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  95. Hi! I've made this twice for guests and everyone loved it both times! One question though, it says to boil the mixture before the coconut milk. At this point there's not much liquid to boil, most of it is solid food, so I'm wondering, is it the tomatoes that should boil? I added water not knowing what else to do, but it definitely dilutes the flavor. Any recommendations??

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  96. Thanks for this special recipe and those lovely photos.

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  97. Saw this recipe on Pinterest and I'm looking forward to making it! Turns out my infant son has serious food allergies that I, as a nursing mom, must now avoid too. Lots of Indian restaurants are a no-go now so I'm happy that there are some recipes that are simple for me to make at home. Thank you :). Lovely photos btw.

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  98. this recipe was awesome definitely a keeper,will be making it alot

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  99. I love this recipe! I sometimes get a stomach ache eating beans so I decided to sub the garbanzo beans for roasted cauliflower. It was a big success and just as delicious. Thank you!

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  100. It was actually so tasty recipe i tried last day , thank you for sharing to us :)

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  101. Not sure if this question has already been asked but can I use light coconut milk? I don't have full fat and would rather not go out to the store if I can help it.

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  102. I mfe this.... Didn't need the arrow root and cornstarch..... Thicken up real good..... turned out so delicious.... kids love....and I did too ,( ps I can't post the pic)

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  103. I make this recipe every few weeks or so. It's a staple in my house. Definitely one of my most favorites 🔥💖 well done. Much appreciated. It's vegan It's easy and it's delicious!!

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  104. I wish I could add a photo! I made this and it is so good! I added bell pepper in with my onions and I 86’d the corn starch. It’s so yummy! Thank you!

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