Indian Chickpea Curry with Mango Powder (Amchoor Chana)

Most people probably roll their eyes when they hear you have dietary restrictions. I know my food choices can be a pain in the butt for some people but imagine combining it with other allergies and restrictions? I have a friend with a severe allergy to sulphites, another friend who won’t eat nightshades and beans and I recently met someone with some crazy diet for interstitial cystitis and I could only remember her telling me she eats no spices. I love trying to find meals we can enjoy together, though. I think the worse was when I was trying to find common meals I could share with my grandfather who needed a low potassium, low salt, and low cholesterol diet. The low potassium part made it the most challenging since he couldn’t eat any whole grains, beans, nuts or seeds which are my protein sources. Meal planning is like a fun puzzle for me although others probably find it a headache. 🙂

Recently I was asked to suggest meals fit for entertaining. Not usually a problem, because I keep a list for myself in case I forget. However, there was a caveat: no garlic, no onions, no leeks, no shallots, no green onions (no alliums). I know there are multiple reasons to avoid them (including those who are doing the FODMAPS thing), but they continue to be a staple in my diet. More than just aromatics, they have a lot of health benefits, too.

Never daunted by a special diet request, I mustered up a few suggestions (Raw Zucchini Alfredo, Raw Tacos skipping the onion in the salsa, Thai Tempeh Wraps with a Mango Ginger Sauce, Sushi Salad Bowl with Avocado and Asparagus, among others with minor modifications). In the end, Ellen made my Vanilla Sweet Potato and Kale Curry and it received high praises from her and her guests (YA!).

The request planted a seed in my head, though. What kinds of meals are naturally free from alliums? I know some people just don’t like chopping garlic and onion, and some Indian recipes call for asafoetida as a substitute. Thus, I looked through my Indian bible, 660 Curries, and while I didn’t pick a recipe with asafoetida, I picked one without onions and garlic.

Cooking without the typical aromatics meant we needed flavour from elsewhere: loads of savoury spices. Cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, all the good spices Indian curries are made from. The special spice, this time, was amchur/amchoor (mango powder).

I’ve used amchoor before in chaat masala used with Malai kofta and a warm chickpea and mango salad. It is made from dried green mangoes, conferring a sour tangy flavour, not unlike vinegar or lemon juice. Since I substituted tomato passata for fresh tomatoes, this is a very pantry-friendly recipe when you run out of even the most basic perishables (onions, garlic and lemons) and don’t feel like going grocery shopping when it is snowing in April (!). The cilantro does perk it up, but not necessary.

Anyways, in essence, you are making chickpeas cooked in a nicely flavoured tomato sauce. No fuss, you simply simmer then away for a while as you tend to something else. Like most curries, they make fabulous leftovers and I ended up enjoying them overtop fresh green spinach as a quasi salad.

Do you feel overwhelmed or welcome the challenge of dietary restrictions? 🙂

This is my submission to this month’s My Legume Love Affair.

Indian Chickpea Curry with Mango Powder
Adapted from 660 Curries

1 tbsp coconut oil, or oil of choice
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods (I used green)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes)
2 tbsp mango powder (amchur/amchoor)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Aleppo chili flakes
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 cups cooked chickpeas, with cooking water reserved
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
1 tsp salt, or to taste

1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add cardamom pods, cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks and heat for a few seconds, until fragrant.

2. Stir in tomatoes, mango powder, coriander, cumin, chili flakes, turmeric, chickpeas and half of the cilantro. Add salt to taste. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover and allow to simmer for 25 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

3. Season to taste, top with reserved cilantro and serve overtop spinach or brown rice.

Serves 4 with a side.