Coconut Mango Curry with Chickpeas
A creamy, spiced Indian-style curry with ripe mango blended into a coconut milk sauce, chickpeas for protein, and a fragrant tadka base. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 35 minutes.
Equipment
- Large wide pan or Dutch oven (at least 4 qt)
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
For the tadka
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 10-12 fresh curry leaves
- 1 dried red chili
For the curry base
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
For the sauce
- 2 ripe mangoes about 400 g / 14 oz flesh, divided
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk 400 ml
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
To finish
- 1 can chickpeas 400 g; drained and rinsed
- 1 cup seasonal vegetables bell peppers, baby spinach, green beans, or zucchini
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Fresh coriander (cilantro), to serve
- Cooked basmati or jeera rice, to serve
Instructions
Prep the mango
- Peel and dice both mangoes. Set aside roughly one-third (about 100 g) to stir in at the end.
- Blend the remaining two-thirds with 4-5 tablespoons of water until completely smooth. Set aside.
Build the tadka
- Heat the coconut oil in a large wide pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the mustard seeds and wait until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds.
- Add the curry leaves and dried red chili. Stand back — the curry leaves will splutter. Sizzle for 20 seconds, then reduce heat to medium.
Cook the base
- Add the diced onion and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown at the edges.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes, pressing it down until it breaks down and the oil begins to separate. Do not rush this step.
- Add all the ground spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala) and stir for 1 minute to bloom them.
Add the sauce
- Pour in the coconut milk and the blended mango puree. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Add chickpeas and vegetables
- Add the drained chickpeas and your chosen vegetables. Stir to coat.
- Cook for 5 minutes to warm the chickpeas through and soften the vegetables. If using spinach, stir it in off the heat right at the end.
Finish and serve
- Remove the dried red chili. Stir in the reserved diced mango and the lime juice.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot over basmati rice or jeera rice.
Notes
Mango selection: Choose mangoes that are sweet and fragrant but still slightly firm. Alphonso (Hapus), Kesar, or Ataulfo varieties all work well. Overly soft mango can make the sauce taste fermented; raw mango will make it tart.
Canned mango: If fresh mango is not available, use 200 ml (3/4 cup) canned mango puree for the blended portion and add diced fresh or thawed frozen mango at the end.
Paneer swap: Substitute chickpeas with 200 g pan-fried paneer cubes for a non-vegan version.
Adjusting heat: Kashmiri chili adds colour without much heat. For a spicier curry, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. To keep it mild for kids, skip the dried red chili in the tadka.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens.
Freezing: Coconut milk-based curries can separate when frozen. Best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated. If freezing, stir well while reheating.
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