Coconut Chickpea and Spinach Rice
Chickpeas and spinach simmered in a creamy coconut sauce, then spooned over fluffy rice. A comforting one-pot dinner that happens to be hearty and filling.
- Total
- 38 min
- Prep 8 · Cook 25 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Absorption rice · Simmering
- Savory
- Standard
- Indian
- Comforting
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Rinse the 75 g rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put it in the small saucepan with 150 ml water and a pinch of the salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
~12 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the grains cook separate and fluffy instead of gluey.
Absorption rice Use a tight lid and low heat so steam stays in; lift the lid only at the end, when the water is gone and grains are tender.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the rice cooks, finely chop the onion and roughly chop the tomatoes. Drain the chickpeas.
~4 min
-
Heat 1 tbsp oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
~6 min
Cooking the onion until golden builds sweet, savory flavor before the wet ingredients go in.
-
Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, until they collapse and release their juices. Stir in the chickpeas, 150 ml coconut milk, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the chickpeas.
~8 min
Simmering evaporates water and thickens the coconut sauce so it coats the chickpeas instead of pooling.
Let the coconut milk simmer gently rather than boil hard; a fast boil can make it split and turn grainy instead of silky.
Simmering Keep a lazy bubble, not a rolling boil; stir occasionally and watch for the sauce to thicken enough to coat the chickpeas.
-
Stir the spinach into the pan in handfuls and cook for 2 minutes, until wilted and the sauce is thick and creamy. Taste and add the remaining salt if needed.
~2 min
Stirring spinach in gradually lets it wilt evenly without cooling the pan and steaming the sauce thin.
If the sauce looks thin after adding the spinach, simmer it uncovered for another minute or two so it clings to the chickpeas rather than pooling on the rice.
Simmering Keep a lazy bubble, not a rolling boil; stir occasionally and watch for the sauce to thicken enough to coat the chickpeas.
-
Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon it into a bowl. Top with the chickpea and spinach simmer and let it stand for 5 minutes before eating.
~5 min
Resting lets the rice and sauce settle so the bowl is not watery and flavors meld.