Coconut Chickpea & Green Lentil Curry with Paneer and Fragrant Basmati

Ingredients

• basmati rice
• bay leaves
• chickpeas
• coconut milk
• coriander
• cumin
• curry powder
• double cream
• garlic
• green chilli
• lentils (green)
• naan bread
• paneer
• red chilli
• stock (vegetable)

Method

1. Prepare the rice: rinse 300g basmati rice until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a pan with 600ml vegetable stock, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed; remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for 5 minutes.
2. Pan-fry the paneer: cut 250g paneer into 2cm cubes. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the paneer in batches until golden on all sides. Transfer to kitchen paper and keep warm.
3. Build the spice base: heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add 1 large onion finely chopped and sauté until translucent. Stir in 3 cloves garlic crushed, 1 green chilli sliced and 1 red chilli sliced and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add ground spices and pulses: mix in 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp ground cumin; cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Add 400g canned chickpeas (drained) and 150g green lentils (rinsed). Stir to coat.
5. Simmer in liquids: pour in 400ml coconut milk and 300ml vegetable stock, bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened; stir occasionally and add a dash more stock if it becomes too thick.
6. Finish with cream and paneer: stir in 100ml double cream and return the fried paneer to the pan. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes to heat through and marry the flavours. Season to taste with salt and a pinch of sugar if needed.
7. Warm the naan and rest the rice: while the curry finishes, warm 4 naan breads in the oven or a dry frying pan until soft and slightly charred. Fluff the basmati rice with a fork and discard the bay leaves.
8. Serve: spoon the curry over the rice or alongside the naan, scatter a generous handful of chopped fresh coriander over the top and offer extra sliced green chilli or red chilli for those who like more heat.

Tips

• Fry the paneer in batches on a high heat so it turns golden and keeps its shape rather than becoming soggy in the curry.
• Use tinned chickpeas for speed; if using dried, soak and cook them beforehand. Adjust the lentil cooking time if they absorb too much liquid.
• For a lighter finish, reduce the double cream to 50ml and add a little extra coconut milk. For extra depth, toast the ground spices briefly before adding liquids.
• Make ahead: the curry tastes even better the next day as the spices mellow — reheat gently and add a splash of stock if it thickens too much.

Recipe by

Aisha Rahman

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