This is one of my £1-per-portion recipes written for the Guardian, a favourite chickpea curry. Everything cooks in one tin in the oven – just look at how short that method is! Packed with flavour, the single cream adds richness and rounds off the fragrant spices. Serve to friends with freshly cooked basmati rice, flatbreads and shop-bought samosas and pakoras (have a look in India Express if you fancy making your own), and you’ll have a feast.

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 green pepper, roughly chopped

250g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

1 heaped tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp chilli flakes (or less to taste)

1 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra as needed

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

150ml single cream

To serve:

basmati rice or flatbreads (gluten-free, if required)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6.

Tip the oil, onion, pepper, mushrooms, spices and salt into a large roasting tin, then mix well. Transfer to the oven to roast for 15 minutes.

Remove the tin from the oven, stir through the chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and cream, then return to the oven for a further 40 minutes. Let the curry stand for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt as needed. Serve hot with rice or flatbreads.

VEGANISE: Omit the single cream and stir through several generous spoonfuls of coconut yogurt just before serving.