Chickpea, quinoa and turmeric curry

I’ve heard lots of things recently about how good turmeric is for your health. It has traditionally been used in Chinese and Ayurrvedic medicine to treat arthritis and this has been confirmed by recent studies that found that its active compound – curcumin – may provide relief for osteoarthritis. It’s also supposed to be high in antioxidants and is a rich source of numerous vitamins and minerals.

With all that in mind I thought it would be good to get some more turmeric in my diet. I tried putting it in my daily smoothie but I couldn’t get over the taste. So when I came across a recipe in Deliciously Ella’s new book for this curry I wanted to give it a try. I’m so pleased I did. It’s really creamy and warming {perfect for a cold day or when you need a little food tlc} but feels healthy as it is packed with spinach and chick peas which both have tonnes of great nutrients as well.

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g new potatoes, halved if large

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1tsp ground coriander

1tsp chilli flakes

1tsp ground ginger

400g can coconut milk

1tbsp tomato puree

400g chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes chopped and a little more tomato puree)

salt and pepper

180g quinoa

400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

50g spinach

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 25 minutes, until you can easily stick a knife through. Then drain well.
2. Place the potatoes in a large pan with the garlic, turmeric, coriander, chilli, ginger, coconut milk, tomato puree and tomatoes.
3. Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper, then add the quinoa with a mug of just boiled water (about 300ml).
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place the lid on and allow to cook. Over the next 30 minutes while it cooks give it a good stir about every 5 minutes and add the chick peas halfway through cooking. When there are about 5 minutes left (all the liquid should be absorbed) add the spinach and stir into the mix until it starts to wilt.
5. Serve!