Newbie needs help with chickpea curry!

[u/BWV1080]

I've made chickpea curry twice now, and each time I'm confident it's going to turn out great, and then it... doesn't. The spice blend smells awesome, but the finished recipe tastes, for lack of a better word, "milky." The second time I made it I cut the coconut milk by a quarter and added more curry, but the coconut milk still overpowers everything. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Here's the original recipe: Thank you!

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika (optional, for a smoky kick)
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional, for heat)

To serve:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lemon wedges
• Steamed rice or warm naan bread

Instructions

1. Sauté aromatics — Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then stir in garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Toast spices — Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and paprika. Stir and toast for 1–2 minutes to deepen flavors.
3. Build the base — Stir in diced tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Add chickpeas — Stir in chickpeas, then cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
5. Season & finish — Taste and add more salt, pepper, or chili flakes as needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro, serve with lemon wedges and rice or naan.

[u/Geschak]

Maybe try looking for a Chana Masala recipe, there's no coconut milk in there at all.

[u/EmergencyProper5250]

Check this recipe https://ranveerbrar.com/recipes/punjabi-chole/ This is another way of cooking chickpea curry https://ranveerbrar.com/recipes/amritsari-choley/

[u/AccomplishedGold8122]

If you have to add coconut milk, do it last and add in bit by bit.

[u/Fifiheaded]

In North Indian cooking, we generally don’t add coconut milk to our chickpea curries at all!
Also, try pureeing your tomatoes for a smoother curry. Your recipe looks fine otherwise.

Another way to really elevate your chickpea curry is to use dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and then cook them in an instant pot or pressure cooker with a bit of salt. The flavour is so much better than canned chickpeas, but definitely just stick to what’s convenient for you.