I have a regular weekday morning ritual. Get to work, wake up, go to the kitchen to make a coffee, and check my horoscope in the daily paper. If I don’t like what I read, I read the horoscopes of my friends and family until I forget all about my horrorscope. Just like kindred spirit and fellow Aries, Scarlett O’Hara, I’m all about the mantra: “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

If I do like what I read, I like to memorise every single word and spend the rest of the day daydreaming about the possible exciting implications… When will it happen? Will it light the way for a whole new and exciting path? Who will be involved? And would I look cute in a dress made from a green, velvet curtain??

Something awful happened last week. First of all, it was a Monday morning (never fun), and secondly they all seemed to be horrorscopes. Blergh! How was I supposed to get the yucky taste out of my brain if they were all bad?

Disappointed and frustrated, my gaze fell to the ‘Recipe of the Day’ section, only to discover… it was a vegan recipe!! *Cue new-age music and harps from the heavens!* A vegan recipe was the most exciting recipe of the day in a mainstream newspaper!!

It was a sign. (See what I did there???)

I was all over that recipe like a hippie at Woodstock, and it turns out that Newspaper Recipe Lady really knows her stuff, because this was seriously good! I’d even go so far as to say it was in the top five of the Best Curries I Have Ever Eaten.

Being Aries, naturally I made a few changes and added more fire to the original recipe. For 4 spicy serves:

  • Splash of Oil (I use Coconut)
  • 1/2 brown onion, sliced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp Indian curry paste (I used Tikka Masala)
  • 1 tbsp chilli (or a fresh red chilli, chopped)
  • 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
  • 1 red capsicum, diced
  • 10 button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • steamed brown rice
  • coriander leaves
  1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat and brown the onions.
  2. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and curry paste and cook for 2 minutes longer.
  3. Add the vegetables, coconut cream and milk, chickpeas, and enough water to barely cover the mix, if required.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes and then add the lemon juice.
  5. Serve with steamed rice and coriander leaves.
  6. Enjoy whilst reading a good horoscope, or daydreaming about Rhett Butler, mmmmm…

16 Comments on Horoscope Chickpea & Veg Curry

  1. Kate Wheat
    May 11, 2012 at 5:51 pm (13 years ago)

    Nice work with the recipe, cuz! I think you should stick to reading the ‘Recipe of the Day’… it’s much more useful than the horoscopes!!!

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:20 pm (13 years ago)

      haha, it sure was this day! 🙂

  2. catlj88
    May 11, 2012 at 6:04 pm (13 years ago)

    I get excited when I find vegan recipes in mainstream papers too! Some of the best salads, soups and curries I’ve had have been from supermarket magazines or local newspapers.

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:19 pm (13 years ago)

      It’s so cool, isn’t it. I saw it was a vegetarian recipe and then held my breath while I was reading the rest of the ingredients, hoping like anything it was going to be vegan. Win! 🙂

  3. Gabby @ the veggie nook
    May 11, 2012 at 6:10 pm (13 years ago)

    I love when vegan recipes make it mainstream! Way to turn that awful morning around 😉

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:17 pm (13 years ago)

      haha, I know, it was so exciting! 🙂

  4. Barb
    May 11, 2012 at 9:44 pm (13 years ago)

    I love curries! This one looks really great… isn’t it funny when you find an amazing recipe when/where you least expect it!?

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:17 pm (13 years ago)

      It’s SO great. 🙂 I wasn’t expecting it to be very exciting so I was even more pleasantly surprised when it was so delicious!

  5. An Unrefined Vegan
    May 11, 2012 at 9:54 pm (13 years ago)

    Whoa, a vegan recipe in a newspaper? Must’ve been a mistake ;-)! I always try to find a little nugget of something I can use in my horoscope. Ya never know!

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:16 pm (13 years ago)

      Exactly and if nothing else, it’s entertaining. 😉 Plus it might just lead to a new vegan recipe!

  6. keepinitkind
    May 12, 2012 at 1:53 am (13 years ago)

    When I used to get the newspaper, the horoscope was always the first thing I went to. I don’t know how much truth is in all of it, but it’s awfully entertaining! Whenever I come across a newspaper, I still check it. 🙂

    This looks like a lovely curry, and not too difficult! I love it!

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:15 pm (13 years ago)

      I know, I love the fun of horoscopes. Much more entertaining than the news. 😉 It’s a super easy curry and was soooo delish!

    • vegansparkles
      May 12, 2012 at 6:14 pm (13 years ago)

      It sure was, and the leftovers were also yummy the next day. 🙂

  8. Alana
    March 11, 2014 at 6:15 pm (11 years ago)

    Bex! I made this one last night and it’s soooo good. Thank you for your beautiful recipes! I have all the ingredients for your raw pad thai too which I plan to make tomorrow night.
    xx

    • Vegan Sparkles
      March 12, 2014 at 9:44 am (11 years ago)

      Oh my pleasure, gorgeous Alana! I’m still struggling with my Raw Pad Thai addiction! hehe, enjoy! Love to hear what you think. xx