Nomad Seeks Home: Recipe: Chicken, chickpea and spinach curry

Say hello to my first Slimming World recipe – in fact, first recipe ever on Nomad Seeks Home. Hope you like it!

Technically this is just a Chickpea and Spinach Curry but the bf added chicken one time and it has stuck around practically every time we've made it since. If you're veggie, just leave out the chicken and it's all good.

I love curry but I'm a complete wimp with hot food. That's why I like this dish - it's got all the taste but none of that eye watering pain where you can only taste hot. However, if that floats your boat, I think adding more chillies would do the trick for you. And don't de-seed, that's the hottest bit I think.

This lovely kitchen belongs to my parents; mine is definitely not this big…or tidy. When I went home for Christmas, I taught my mum how to make this recipe so I thought this would be a great opportunity to get some good photos.

So this is what you will need. This curry serves 4 and will take approximately 30 - 60 mins to make.

• Low calorie cooking spray (this is a Slimming World thing – no oils allowed – I use Frylight)

• 2 onions, thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 x 2½ cm piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1-2 chillies, deseeded and chopped

• 1 x 200g can chopped tomatoes

• 450g fresh spinach leaves, trimmed and washed

• 700g cooked/tinned chick peas

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or mint

• Chicken – 1 pack about 400 – 500g

Rice to serve

Fat free natural yogurt, to serve (optional) – Personally I love it but I’m half Arab and we grow up eating rice and natural yoghurt together. Though most English people I know find this pretty gross, I’ve converted the bf. It works!

When it comes to spices, something to take note of; I always use more then what it says. They aren't hot or anything - I just don't feel that these measurements give it enough taste. Doubling it usually does the trick.

Step 1

“Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and golden.”

If using the chicken, spray the saucepan, then add the chicken first. While the chicken is cooking, chop up the onion, garlic and grate the ginger. Add to the pan.

Step 2

“Add the spices and chillies, stir well and cook gently for about 3 minutes."

I just use 1 chilli. Told you I was a wimp!

1. Turmeric 2. Cumin 3. Garam Masala 4. Coriander & Coriander Seeds

Step 3

"Stir in the tomatoes and spinach and reduce the heat to a bare simmer.”

Now I know what you're thinking. Damn, that's a lot of spinach! Yes, it does look like a lot. Funnily enough, this isn't even the entire amount that the recipe states you should use. We didn't actually realise that more than a bag was needed so that's all we bought. But it turned out to be enough for us. Depends on how much you like your spinach!

Step 4

“Simmer gently for 5 minutes and then add the chick peas. Continue simmering for 5-10 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the tomato liquid has reduced.”

See, the spinach does wilt down!

When you add the chickpeas, start cooking your rice if it’s the kind that takes 10 mins. If it takes longer, start just before step 2.

Step 5

“Season to taste with salt and pepper and then stir in the chopped coriander or mint. Serve immediately with some yogurt.” And not a minute sooner! Sorry, just made me laugh that they used "immediately".