my new favourite meal in minutes – butter chickpeas (or butter chicken)

This is my new favourite meal in minutes. I read about it on Stone Soup – you can find her recipe here. Mine is only slightly different because it would be hard to make this recipe any easier. My kids will eat butter chicken without any complaint – probably because it is such a mild curry. I used to buy the canned simmering sauce to make it but this is even more inexpensive and just as fast and easy since I have the spices around anyway. Instead of using a can of whole tomatoes, as she did in her version, I used passata (strained tomatoes). It’s easy enough to make it spicier by adding more chilli powder or flakes, but I keep it mild so the kids won’t complain.

To get it on the table quickly, I start some basmati rice in the rice cooker right away and let it cook while I assemble the rest. And if, like me, you find you used up the last of the basmati rice, nobody will complain if you make it with regular long grain rice.

It’s a bit of a cheat on the original slow simmered butter chicken, but it works. It’s also very good with some frozen peas or some chopped spinach added in just before the cream. I freeze leftovers to take to work for lunches as well.

Butter Chickpeas (or Chicken)

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garam marsala
• 1-2 tsp dried chilli flakes (I used 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp chilli powder)
• 1 can chickpeas (~ 2 cups), drained or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
• 1 jar strained tomatoes (passata) (400g / 14oz)
• 2 – 3 tablespoons cream

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan, add spices and cook on medium high heat for about 30 seconds.

2. Add drained chickpeas (or cooked chicken) and cook for another minute or so.

3. Add tomatoes and bring to a fast simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes or until sauce has reduced to desired thickness.

5. Stir in the cream. Taste and season.

Linked to Gastronomical Sovereignty, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday