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Trinidadian · Caribbean

Curry channa and aloo

Vegetarian

A Trinidadian curry of chickpeas and potatoes cooked with green seasoning, toasted curry and geera (cumin) until soft and saucy. A staple filling for roti and doubles.

Curry channa and aloo is a Trinidadian curry from Trinidad and Tobago, ready in about 45 minutes and made with chickpeas, potato and curry powder. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
337

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blend or finely chop half the onion (opens in a new tab) with the garlic (opens in a new tab), chadon beni (opens in a new tab), spring onions (opens in a new tab) and thyme (opens in a new tab) leaves to make a quick green seasoning.

  2. Step 2

    Mix the curry powder (opens in a new tab) and cumin (opens in a new tab) with a few tablespoons of water to a paste. Heat the oil, add the remaining onion (opens in a new tab) and cook for a minute, then add the curry paste and fry until it darkens and the oil separates.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the green seasoning and stir for a minute, then the chickpeas (opens in a new tab), potatoes (opens in a new tab), Scotch bonnet (opens in a new tab) (if using), water and salt.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Cover and simmer until the potatoes (opens in a new tab) are very soft. Crush some chickpeas (opens in a new tab) and potato against the pot to thicken the sauce.

    • 20 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Trinidad and Tobago · Well documentedPart of the Indo-Trinidadian cooking tradition.More food from Trinidad and Tobago
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, savoury, earthy, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-fibre
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-fibre · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · One-pot · Everyday · Meal-prep friendly
Cook more with
Chickpeas · Potato · Curry powder · Cumin · Onion · Garlic
Techniques
Simmering · Bhunao · Knife skills

Allergens

  • May contain: Mustardfrom curry powder
  • May contain: Celeryfrom curry powder

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

337 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 402 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 58%
  • Fat 28%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy337 kcal84 kcal
Protein11.9 g3 g
Carbohydrate51.2 g12.7 g
Net carbohydrate38.8 g9.7 g
Sugars7.2 g1.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre12.4 g3.1 g
Fat10.9 g2.7 g
Saturated fat0.9 g0.2 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium1040 mg259 mg
Salt equivalent2.6 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
727 mg
Calcium
124 mg
Iron
3.4 mg
Magnesium
74 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
23 µg
Vitamin C
26 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
88 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: scotch bonnet pepper.
  • Culantro (chadon beni): Coriander leaves used as a stand-in for this similar, stronger-flavoured leafy herb.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • For doubles filling, cook it a little longer until very soft and saucy.

Common mistakes

  • Not frying the curry paste until it darkens — raw curry powder tastes dusty.

Serve with

  • Wrap in dhalpuri or paratha roti, or spoon over rice.

Storage

  • Keeps 4 days refrigerated; freezes well.

Reheating

  • Add water and reheat.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Chickpeas, drained2 can · 480 g
  • Potato, peeled, cut into 2 cm cubes2 piece · 400 g
  • Scotch bonnet pepper, left whole, or seeded and chopped for more heat (optional)1 piece · 10 g
Used in step 3

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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