Chick Pea & Tomato Curry

In May this year my mother reached the magnificent age of 70. Always a family that likes to feast for birthdays, this was an obvious cue for a gathering of the clan to celebrate. The main event - in a week of them! - was lunch at the best seafood place in town brilliantly organised by my father, with 17 of us having travelled various routes to be around the table for a great meal.

The night before - this being Australia - it had to be a barbie. My brother, with some justification, considers himself barbecue king so it was all round to his for Saturday night. Though with the barbie light tends to shine on the meat, it can never be considered a success without all the rest that goes with it - the salads and breads and snacks handed round with drinks - done delightfully in this instance by my charming nieces. While Matt was turning steaks over hot coals my sister in law Jo was spending a lot more time in the kitchen creating the support act in this fabulous repast.

One of the offerings was this lovely curry, the spicing going really well with the slight char on the sausages like a best ever choice of ketchup. She promised me the recipe, and true to her word I got it in an email on my return to London.

Sadly with all the rain bbq is not very high on the list of possible activities at the moment, so I made it for supper with a dry spiced cauliflower and steamed rice. Quick and easy it is essentially cooking aromatics and spices to a heady perfume then adding some things from tins and let it meld with the softening effects of the coconut cream over a gentle heat. Different scenario to sunshine and glowing emebers but still very good indeed.

Chick Pea & Tomato Curry

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tbspn grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tspn garam masala

2 tspn ground cumin

2 tspn ground coriander

2 tbspns sweet paprika

1/2 tspn chilli powder

1/4 tspn ground turmeric

1 tspn yellow mustard seeds

400g/14oz tin chick peas, drained and washed

400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbspn coconut cream

2 tspn salt

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion over a low heat till it is lightly browned. Add the ginger, garlic and spices and stir till the mix is fragrant.

Stir in the tomatoes, chick peas, coconut cream and salt. Cook over a low heat till the mix thickens.

And as we did for that week in May - enjoy.