Chickpea Curry

Today has been the hottest day of the year so far - a forecast 32C, and I think the reality was a degree or so less than that here in the South East.  We had all sorts of plans, but nothing really got done.

I didn't really want to cook tonight at all but I'd planned for this, there's not much else in stock and it was this or toast really.

First up, make the spice paste.  Measure out two teaspoonfuls each of ground cumin and coriander (or whole, if that's what you've got in the cupboard) and one of chilli flakes, or cayenne pepper.  I don't have any fresh chilli peppers at the moment or I'd have used one of those instead.

Get them cooking in a dry frying pan over a low heat, then when the seeds start to pop (assuming you used whole seeds), add some olive oil, a chopped clove of garlic and some ginger - a small piece if you're using fresh, or a teaspoonful of the preserved stuff.

Keep the heat low - there's no hurry here, we just want to let everything sweat.  On a day like today, it barely needs the gas on.

While they're frying away, chop up two large tomatoes into small pieces then add them too.  Swoosh them around a bit, then add 150ml vegetable stock and bring it to the boil.

Let it simmer, then pour the mixture into a food processor and whizz it into a paste.  I added a bit much stock and mine was more soup than paste, but never mind.  Keep this paste to one side for the moment.

Now, chop an onion into smallish pieces and start that sweating in oil over a low heat.  Use the same frying pan, no need to clean it.  Cut about 150g mushrooms (six big cup mushrooms) into chunks and add them too.  They'll need about six minutes.

When they're getting nice and soft add a tin of chickpeas, some coriander leaves and the paste you made before.  Let it come to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes - which is exactly the right amount of time to cook basmati rice, so get that going (200g uncooked should do, to make four portions).

If the curry looks like getting too dry at any point, just add a splash of veg stock - you did have the foresight to make too much earlier, didn't you?

When it's all nearly done, stir in a small tin of coconut cream (Waitrose do a 160ml tin which is perfect) and, if you happen to have some in your cupboard, 75g ground almonds.

Serve over the rice.

This was lovely as it was, but meat eaters needn't despair - it would have been excellent with chicken instead of chickpeas. It's nice and mild so even on a hot day - and I'm typing this up at nearly midnight and still 25C - it slips down nicely.  Also, the whole thing (except the rice) can be cooked with the gas on as low as it will go, so it won't heat the house up too much.