Carrot and Split Chickpea Curry with Spice roasted Cauliflower. I am taking part in a Dry January fundraising for Caring Cooks. They are an amazing local Jersey charity that provides cooked meals and school dinners across the island. This year I hope to be doing some exciting foodie things with them. So, expect to see them mentioned in a few more posts.
Never to do things by halves I offered to suggest a few food and drink pairings. I hope to provide some inspiration as some people have committed to not drinking alcohol for a lot longer than a month. I also thought it would be nice to tie in some relatively healthy recipes too. Whilst I may be ‘dry’ Jersey certainly isn’t so I thought my first recipe should be something a bit spicey to warm up the cold, wet winter evenings and my first pairing is one of my favourite low-alcohol beers.
What to drink with my Carrot and Split Chickpea Curry?
Adnams Ghostship ABV 0.5%. Multiple reviewers have described this filtered beer as virtually indistinguishable from the full-alcohol version. When you pour it, it certainly looks the part. There are citrus and sweet tropical fruit aromas from the hopping. There is plenty of body which is often lacking in reduced alcohol beers and a nice dry finish. This is a great beer to drink with a curry and as it’s vegan-friendly you can partner it with my first vegan curry recipe.
Carrot and Split Chickpea Curry tips
The split chickpeas I am using in my recipe are a staple in Indian cookery. The name of the classic recipe Chana Dal is a little confusing. As this is also the name for the main ingredient. Chana Dal is a saucy, soupy, stew of chickpeas with onions, ginger, green chillies and garlic. It is traditionally served with fluffy rice. I am using the lentils for the base of my curry and adding carrots, tomatoes, and coriander. I am serving it with some freshly roasted spiced cauliflower and minted coconut yoghurt.
One of the secrets of Indian cookery is how the spices are prepared. You can fry them whole or ground and how you fry them changes the flavour. Dry frying or roasting your spices adds layers of toasted, earthier flavours. Frying the spices in Ghee or for a vegan recipe in oil makes the flavours bolder and more intense. Quite often recipes call for spices to be added at the start of cooking and a second batch added towards the end of cooking to enhance the taste.
Carrot and Split Chickpea Curry with Spice roasted Cauliflower
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy-bottomed Frying Pan
Ingredients
For the Curry
- 100 grams Chana Dal
- 4 large Carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large Onion peeled and finely sliced
- 400 gram tin chopped Tomatoes
- 1 heaped tablespoon Tomato Purée
- 8 cm piece fresh Ginger peeled and very finely chopped
- 6 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 large Green Chilli finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh Coriander finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
- ½ tablespoon Turmeric
- A good glug Vegetable Oil
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Spice Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 medium Cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
- ½ tablespoon Turmeric
- A good glug Vegetable Oil
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Minted Coconut Yogurt
- 1 small tub Coconut Vegan Yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Mint Sauce
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Curry
- Rinse the chickpeas in cold running water and leave in a sieve to drain.
- Dry roast the garam masala and turmeric in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat for a couple of minutes being careful not to burn.
- Transfer to a small bowl then add the oil and the onion and cook gently for fifteen to twenty minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for a couple more minutes stirring continuously.
- Add the chickpeas, carrots, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and chilli to the pan with 400 ml of boiling water and half a teaspoon of salt.
- Bring to a gentle simmer gently and cook for thirty minutes until the carrots and lentils are soft, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water if required during cooking.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the coriander, and check the seasoning. Serve with the cauliflower and minted yogurt.
Roasted Cauliflower
- While the onions are sautéing preheat your oven to 375 F / 190 C / Gas Mark 5.
- Cook the cauliflower, in boiling salted water for five minutes then drain. Toss in the oil, spices and seasoning and place on a non-stick baking tray.
- Roast in the oven for twenty-five minutes until golden brown and cook through. Shake a couple of times during roasting to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Minted Coconut Yogurt
- Mix the coconut yogurt, mint sauce and seasoning thoroughly.
Notes
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