Sweet Potato And Chickpea Curry

A different chana masala recipe

Chana Masala appears very regularly in my kitchen as it is one of my favorite Indian meals! I first learned to make it in college as part of our Foods & Nutrition curriculum. I have also seen many chickpea curry recipes on Pinterest, most of which are similar. A few things may differ depending on one's cooking style and preferences. Although the Indian Chana Masala is mostly vegan unless cream or ghee is used, I wanted to create an alternate plant-based chickpea curry recipe just so that you have a new recipe to try.

On one of my night outs with my girlfriends, one of them mentioned that she had made Chole Aloo for lunch that day. That is when it occurred to me that I had never added potatoes to this chickpea curry before. The combination of potatoes and chickpeas sounded like a wonderful idea and it was something I had to try myself! I did just that. I chose to make this curry in an Instant Pot instead of the stove-top because of my mail subscribers! Based on the survey I conducted, you told me that you would like to see more Instant Pot recipes that are easy, simple, and quick to make. It is no surprise that most of you wanted more pressure cooker recipes. Cooking in an Instant Pot is easy, simple, and quick!

This is one of the easiest vegan chickpea recipes that you can find.  I have used canned chickpeas for this recipe. But if you are using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight.

1 - Turn on the Instant Pot and select saute mode. Add oil and once it's hot, add cumin seeds.

Once they crackle (in 10 seconds), add minced garlic, ginger, and green chilies or jalapeno.

Fry them for 30 seconds and then add sliced onions to the pot. Saute onions till they turn translucent.

2 - Next add chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook till the tomatoes are done. This could take 1-2 minutes.

3 - Now add the spice powders like turmeric powder, roasted coriander-cumin powder, Punjabi Chole Masala (optional), nutmeg, and chili powder or paprika.

Continue to saute for another minute.

4 - Then add the potato cubes. Note - The potatoes are raw and uncooked. You just need to peel and chop them. 

5 - Add chickpeas, and water to the pot. Also, add salt if needed. Please give it a mix and turn off the IP. Close the lid. Ensure the knob is in the sealing position.

Select the Manual/Pressure Cooker mode and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

Then, once you hear the beep, do a 10-minute natural pressure release (I just asked Alexa to remind me in 10 minutes) and then manually release the pressure. 

6 - Open the lid, pour coconut milk, then add chopped cilantro/parsley and lemon juice. Stir it all together until everything gets mixed properly. 

Serving suggestions

Instant Pot Vegan Potato recipe with chickpeas is now ready! Serve it warm with some steamed rice or any Indian flatbread like roti, naan, or chapati. Even regular slices of bread pair well with this Instant Pot curry. If you want to go lean, serve it with cauliflower rice or quinoa. This is a healthy, comforting, and delicious vegan chickpea potato recipe that can be easily made on a weeknight using an Instant Pot. 

Top recipe tips

Curry powder can be used in place of Punjabi Chole Masala. This recipe works with canned/dry chickpeas. But please note here that the cooking times will vary if using soaked chickpeas vs canned ones. Please follow this recipe - Instant Pot Chickpeas & Spinach Masala | Chana Palak for cook time if using soaked garbanzo beans. Also, chickpeas can be substituted with any other beans. 

Instead of adding water, you can add vegetable stock for more flavor, while cooking this curry. For more nutrition, you can also add other veggies like cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes to this Instant Pot curry. You may also skip adding coconut milk in the end. However, it does give this chickpea and potato curry a very nice creamy flavor. Feel free to add fresh cream (vegan or regular) instead. Garnish this vegan curry with some chopped onions for a more earthy flavor. You can easily make this on a stovetop if the Instant Pot is not available. 

Store this in the fridge for 4-5 days. It also freezes well for 2-3 months. Add coconut milk or water to loosen it if it gets thick.

Some vegan chickpea recipes

If you love chickpeas, then don't forget to check out these recipes.

• Tawa Chole
• Shahjahani Dal | Royal Chickpeas Stew
• Chettinad Chickpea Curry
• Butternut Squash & Chickpea Thai Curry
• Himachali Chana Madra