On the way home from Toronto today, I started thinking about what I wanted for dinner. I was longing for something healthy, homemade, and sensible after a few days of over-indulging in hotel and restaurant food whilst I was away in the big city.
This simple curry is something I make routinely. It’s quick, healthy, tasty, incredibly inexpensive, and full-flavoured. It’s adaptable too – you can add cooked cubed eggplant, chopped tomatoes, a bit of yogurt, some chopped cilantro… or not. You can serve it with steamed Basmati or any other kind of rice – or just with warmed naan.
This is a little glimpse of Toronto where I was holed up in a beautiful hotel, working. It’s fantastic having a hotel room to work from. No cleaning, no laundry, no pets, no grocery shopping, no cooking. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. There was music in the streets. And this was the view out my window…
The church – historic Holy Trinity Anglican – is tucked in a little back corner surrounded by massive modern buildings. On Mondays it has free lunchtime concerts. On the side is a sad, poignant memorial to the street people who have died in Toronto. There are 700+ names on that list. These people may have been homeless but thanks to this church – they are not nameless.
This lovely old building below is adjacent to Holy Trinity and was the home of the Reverend Henry Scadding between 1862 and 1901. Rev’d. Scadding is said to still visit the old church from time to time. He wasn’t there while I visited.
But enough about Toronto. Back to the curry. When you fly through the door like I did at 6:00pm tonight – starving and wanting home cooking in a hurry – this is the ticket.
The only downside is that unlike me, Lola doesn’t like vegan curries. She’s been away visiting her godmother – who spoils her with prime extra old cheddar and steak. So tomorrow night, I’m doing something special for Lola. And maybe I’ll let her blog for a change too.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Patak’s Madras hot curry paste
- 1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed (or 1 & 1/2 cups of chickpeas, cooked)
- 1 large sweet potato, cooked, peeled and diced
Saute the onion in the olive oil until onion is tender. Add the curry paste and stir until the paste is melted and distributed. You can obviously use whatever curry paste you like but Patak’s is FABULOUS. Stir in the chickpeas and sweet potato and continue stirring occasionally and gently while warming through over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 
First of all…I love Lola. Oh my gosh Lindy, she is a heart stopper. I am so happy to see your post this evening. And I can’t believe I am the first to comment! Love this chana masala. I’m going to make this for sure because I can not get enough curry these days and I know if you love it….I will too. Toronto sounds like a lovely place to visit. 🙂
Am so happy to see you Seana!! I’m glad you love Lola – she’s the sweetest dog. But she’s a bit of a foodie. She doesn’t like kibble – except when she’s visiting other dogs and they always seem to have more interesting kibble than her. However, when I buy her a bag of whatever they have – she loses interest immediately! She’d much rather I didn’t bother with curry either. If she could write on my chalkboard menu it would look like this, “STAKES, CHIGGEN, SOSSIDJUS.” You have to forgive her spelling. xox
Sweet, sweet Lola. Ginger and Buddy are picky kibbelers themselves. Do treat Lola to a special treat for being away from you (Ginger thinks fish in a foil pack might be nice)…sounds like a great place, Toronto.
Lola sends love and lots of licks to Ginger and Buddy. She’s getting ‘eggs-cited” about blogging after reading Buddy’s blog posts. Stay tuned! xo
I’d love a bowl of this for my dinner tonight 🙂
So lovely to hear from you! I just saw your sweet hearts on sticks. Adorable.
Lola will be glad to have you home! She is so sweet! When I have Penny, the grandog I cook up a plain chicken breast ( Naturals from M&M and use it in bites for wee treats in between her kibble but she loves her kibble anyway. )
I love making curry chicken for myself especially during the winter. My recipe is” throw it in a pot” and load up on spices, lots of peppers ,garlic,onion and tomatoes Never thought of doing the chick pea version…will try very soon! Nothing tastes as good as home made after being away a few days!
I have the rhubarb coffee cake made and it is delicious. I don’t make desserts often anymore but this was so tempting. For my health and wellbeing I cut back on the sugars and it is fine, my taste for sweets has changed as well.
The Trinity church is a special part of Toronto. Such a significant memorial there for those tragic souls. I have only been there once and years ago. Love the little story about the old reverend and his house. I didn’t know about him and now I must follow up on his story..
I’m so glad you made the cake – thrilled in fact.
You’re right about Holy Trinity Church. I grew up in the Anglican church – still find something sacred there. And especially so in Holy Trinity. Such a physically beautiful space and made more so by the caring that goes on.
Hope you do try the curry – it’s such a breeze and so very tasty. But I swear by Patak’s Madras curry paste which is in my fridge – always! xx
I love Toronto, almost as much as I love you… I love that the church remembers the homeless who have died, some of them who might not have had a family in life.. Now have one in death. So sad.. But touching.
The view from the hotel is beautiful! There is a part of me that loves to travel for work, sitting at the laptop watching the world go by fr your hotel room… Then the other part that is the drag, because you’re sitting at your laptop in your hotel room working when you’d rather be out sightseeing! I would have been watching out for Rev Scadding, and disappointed if he didn’t show!!
Your chana masala looks fabulous… I’ll definitely be trying that! I think it will be as delicious as it is pretty!
I can’t wait to see what Lola has up her sleeve! Lol.. Sweet little baby doll.. Lovely post.. ❤
I LOVE hearing from you Prudy. You are such a darling. What you wrote above is beautiful – especially about those souls who perhaps lacked a family in life and now have one in death. I hope you are right – what a consoling, wonderful thought.
One of these months or years – we will meet. Let’s make a deal!
Lola says, “I am bizzy – finking wot to write about.”
xox
This does sound simple and delicious and I’m feeling the need for a good serving of nutritious comfort food. Thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure. But truly my pleasure to see you here. Thank you for visiting. I’m heading over next to see what is happening in your beautiful little home and garden. xo
Lola is a cutie 🙂 I have never thought to add sweet potatoes to chana masala – great idea! Also, I love that area, nice to discover someone else from the GTA 🙂
Hi Sarah – yes, am so lucky to have Lola – she’s a sweet sweet dog.
Am pretty sure adding sweet potatoes is NOT authentic but never mind the result is pretty fabulous.
Wonderful to meet you and find your blog. I’m looking forward to following you and your fabulous food. And still smiling about “eating as a hobby.”
You always put a smile on my face. Smoochie for Lola. Xxxooo
love you kendra! And Lola sends love too. xxx
When she get to bisit her AntiGen???? I promise to make her something speshul…..
“antigen, this is me. Lola. I MiSS yoo. Can i bisit soon?Can we hab stake? Luv yoo. Affexshunatly. Lola. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx”
I’m so in love with Lola, what a sweet face. She so deserves special treats, steak and cheese sound pretty good to me. As for your curry, I love that also, it looks so good and with the flat bread and greens it’s pretty much the perfect meal. A good curry is a thing of beauty. I love where you were staying, the photographs are amazing. Good you got some writing done, how wonderful for you.
Suzanne – sweet Suzanne. I know that you fully understand the joy of dogs!
Yes, my quick trip to the city was rather wonderful. I was in a hotel downtown and you know – the hotel was so soundproof that I never even heard a door close or a voice in the corridor. Sumptuous quiet bliss. And really really good food. Now I need to somehow wear off the consequences!
thanks for the lovely comments. always. xo
This curry sounds amazing!
It’s SO simple. Doesn’t really deserve to be so good considering how little effort. 😉
I love seeing sweet potatoes in curry! This is a really nice and simple recipe, perfect for making dinner at the end of a long day.
It is so simple and you really can have it on the table within 15 minutes. I love that. Hope you give it a try sometime. And thank you for your comment!
That’s yummy! Love sweet potatoes in curry!
Me too! So flavourful and so nutrient dense. 😉
Lola looks so sweet! 😀