Chickpea coconut curry
Creamy, fragrant, and made entirely from pantry staples. Serve over rice and you've got a proper dinner for under £2 a head.
This curry is proof that budget cooking doesn't mean boring cooking. It's rich, fragrant, and satisfying — and it's made entirely from things you probably already have in the cupboard.
Ingredients (serves 4): 2 tins chickpeas (or 480g cooked from dried), 1 tin coconut milk, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 thumb ginger, 2 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, oil, salt. Serve with rice. Total cost: approximately £2.80 for the curry, plus about £1 for the rice — around £1 per serving.
Dice the onion and cook in oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and ginger (grated or finely chopped) and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spices and stir for 1 minute.
Add the chickpeas (drained), tinned tomatoes, and coconut milk. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over plain boiled rice. A squeeze of lemon and some fresh coriander on top if you have them — but it's excellent without.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and freeze well. The flavour improves overnight.
