Coconut Jollof Chickpea Curry

The blended tomato and pepper base at the heart of jollof rice is already close cousins with a good curry base, so stirring in coconut milk and curry powder instead of continuing on toward rice felt like a natural detour. Chickpeas replace the usual meat, soaking up the sauce as it simmers down.

Coconut milk brings a meaningful amount of fat to the pot, but it's the kind more associated with heart-healthy eating patterns than saturated fat from animal sources, and since everything here — chickpeas, tomatoes, coconut milk, spices — comes from plants, this stew is tagged both vegan and heart-healthy. It also leans into the wider plant-based African cooking tradition this dish is drawing from.

Let the tomato base reduce properly, about 15 minutes, before the coconut milk goes in — this concentrates the flavor so the coconut doesn't just mellow everything into blandness. Serve it in a bowl on its own or spooned over rice, with fresh cilantro scattered over the top.