Chickpea curry with cardamom

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 x 15½oz (440g) can chickpea,

drained and rinsed

1 x 14oz (400g) can diced tomatoes, with juices

1–2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp hot chili powder, or more to taste

Method:

1 Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, and cardamom, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes until fragrant.

2 Add the chickpeas to the pan, and stir well, crushing them very slightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, including any juices, then fill the empty can with water and add this also. Sprinkle in the garam masala and chili powder, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Serve hot with naan bread and basmati rice.

Chickpea curry with cardamom