Summer Coconut Chickpea Curry with Rice and Fried Halloumi
The creamiest, easiest, Summer Coconut Chickpea Curry with Rice and Fried Halloumi. Make this curry with whatever produce you have on hand. I use a mix of sweet corn, zucchini, coconut milk, creamy tahini, lemon, plenty of curry powder, and cayenne for some heat. Serve over steamed rice and top with fried halloumi cheese and crispy chickpeas. This dish is layered with flavor and texture, and completely delicious. All you need for this recipe are pantry ingredients, garden veggies, and less than 45 minutes.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas drained
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 summer squash or zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch discs or half moons
- 2 ears sweet corn kernels removed from the cob
- 1 shallot chopped
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ½ lemon juice and zest from
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped, or basil
- 8 ounces Halloumi cheese sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- sesame seeds for serving
- green onions for serving
Instructions
Fry the chickpeas
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- When the oil shimmers, add the chickpeas and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until the chickpeas begin to crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove ½ cup of chickpeas and reserve for topping, if desired.
Sauté the vegetables
- To the remaining chickpeas, add the zucchini, corn, shallot, garlic, and ginger.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the veggies another 5-10 minutes or until they just begin to soften.
Make the curry
- Stir in the curry powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk, ⅓-½ cup water, and the tahini.
- Stir to combine, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, cook 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. If the sauce thickens too much, add additional water to thin.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest, and cilantro.
Fry the halloumi
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- When the oil shimmers, add the halloumi and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.
Serve
- Divide the rice among bowls and spoon the curry overtop.
- Top with halloumi, the reserved chickpeas, sesame seeds, and green onions.
Notes
Serve as is as a vegetarian dish, or add seafood such as white fish, crab, scallops, or shrimp.