These curried chickpeas and spinach are a wholesome and delicious meal to serve to the family. Although inspired by traditional Indian-style flavours, the addition of a few unique ingredients-buttery coconut oil and fresh lemon juice, gives this dish a distinct identity all its own. It smells so good, you’ll be eating it by the spoonful before it even hits your bowl!

I love chickpeas — who doesn’t — and the fragrant, earthy flavours of curry combined with creamy, nutty chickpeas is a match made in heaven. This dish is simple to make however, it requires some essential ingredients to prepare-dried chickpeas and an array of spices.

Before you opt for the easy route and use canned chickpeas instead of dried, remember this; canned chickpeas are usually packed with sodium and simply pale in comparison to the earthy flavour and ‘al-dente’ texture of cooked dried chickpeas. Yes, using dried chickpeas requires extra prep time however, that extra time and effort is well worth it!

As for the spice component, once you have a well-stocked spice cabinet you can make this dish (and many other Indian-inspired recipes for that matter) on-the-fly during busy weeknights.

Make a large batch and store leftovers in portions in the freezer for grab n’ go lunches during the week-and you can rest assured that the chickpeas will maintain their bite and texture once defrosted.

If you try this recipe (and love it!) be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram with #bitesforfoodies so I can see your creation!