Original Flava: Plantain and chickpea curry

This curry is one of our most-loved vegan dishes when we do food events – people always come back for more. It’s a great-tasting, one-pot meal that could also be eaten with rice to make it go further.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp dried mixed herbs

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp all-purpose seasoning

6 tbsp curry powder

125ml water

200ml coconut milk

2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced

1 scotch bonnet pepper

3 spring onions, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

150g fresh callaloo or spinach

• Heat the oil in a pot over a medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the cumin, mixed herbs, chilli powder, all-purpose seasoning, 4 tbsp of the curry powder and a tiny bit of the water then stir together. Add just a tiny bit of the coconut milk and mix together to form a paste.
• Add your chickpeas, plantain and scotch bonnet and mix into the curry paste, then add the rest of the water and coconut milk and stir.
• Add the spring onions and remaining curry powder along with the salt and black pepper, then stir, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
• After that, give it a mix and add your callaloo or spinach, then stir gently. Simmer for a further 5 minutes before removing the scotch bonnet and serving.

TIP Serve with the Rice And Peas or Roti from our book, or white rice.