South Indian green chili chickpeas curry is spicy and packed with flavor from mint and cilantro,, whole spices, and spicy green chilies in creamy coconut milk. It’s a 30-minute curry that’s amazing served with flatbread, dosa, or rice. Gluten-free soyfree nutfree

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the green sauce:

  • 1/2 green chili, such as Serrano or Indian chili or use milder chilies or 1 tbsp green bell pepper
  • 1 cup cilantro (well-packed)
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves (well-packed)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3 curry leaves (fresh or frozen, optional)

For the curry:

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 curry leaves (, fresh or frozen or dried)
  • 1/2 green chili, Serrano or Indian, (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste ((or use 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 inch ginger, minced))
  • 4 oz mushrooms (quartered (I like to use white or cremini mushrooms))
  • 1 tomato (chopped into wedges)
  • 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
  • 1 cup coconut milk (or more, for creamier)
  • 1/2 teaspoon or more garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (, more if needed)

For garnish:

  • cilantro, pepper flakes, lemon juice

Method

  1. Make the green sauce by blending the green chili, cilantro, mint, water, lemon juice, and curry leaves until combined. It doesn’t have to be super smooth, just blended enough to combine the ingredients. Set aside.
  2. Make the curry. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick and cook until the cumin seeds changed color significantly and are very fragrant. Then add the green chili, curry leaves, onion, and a good pinch of salt. Mix to combine. Cook for 6-9 minutes until the onion is golden, stirring occasionally. Add splashes of water in between.
  3. Once the onion is evenly golden, add the ginger-garlic paste and mushrooms, and another pinch of salt. Mix really well and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Then add in the tomato wedges, chickpeas, and blended green sauce and mix in. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the coconut milk, garam masala, and salt and mix in. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once in between. If the sauce is getting too thick you can add more coconut milk or water.
  5. Once the mushrooms are cooked to your preference switch off the heat. Garnish with pepper flakes, lemon juice, cilantro and serve with sourdough, dosa, or rice or Naan or flatbread of choice.
  6. Store refrigerated for upto 3 days and freeze in a closed container for upto 2 months. Reheat in microwave or skillet

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.