Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry

This is Chef Michael Smith's famous Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry.  Now I know why it is one of his favourites.  Not only is it easy to make but you don't have to serve meat with it.  Or at least if it was me eating it I wouldn't have to, but tonight the 3 boys are home so I served a Jamaican Jerkin Chicken.  The other wonderful part of this meal is the aroma is amazing so when the boys walked in the door there was lots of "wows and heys, that smells awesome".

Not only is it flavourful, but the colours are amazing

Is there anything better than the smell of onions and garlic sizzling.

And then you add in the ginger and Thai curry paste.  Voila the flavours jump up another notch

Every thing is sizzling away

Just before serving the spinach and cilantro go in.  You will notice the peas aren't in yet.  What is it about boys and peas.  The nice thing is you can add them in to the people who love peas, like me.  

Ingredients

a splash of vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped

a small knob of giner

1 teaspoon Thai curry paste (I added 3)

2 sweet potatoes, cubed (I added 3 good sized ones)

1 - 19 ounce can chickpeas

1 - 14 ounce can coconut milk

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup peanut butter or any other nut butter

a sprinkle of sea salt

1 cup frozen green peas

several handfuls of baby spinach

a bunch of cilantro

Add a splash or two of vegetable oil to a stockpot over medium-high heat.  Toss in the onion and garlic and saute them until they are lightly browned, about 5 minutes or so.

Grate the ginger into the pan with a microplane grater or standard box grater and add the Thai curry paste.  Continue cooking until the spices are heated through and fragrant, another few minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, orange juice and peanut butter and salt.  Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and continue simmering until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.  

Serve over rice.  

Thanks Chef Michael, this will definitely be a Carlson family favourite.