Recipe: Spiced Chickpea Stew with Turmeric

This time of year, I feel like every blog or article I see is talking about Spring Cleaning (which makes sense, I guess.) So, in the spirit of the times, I decided to "spring clean" my pantry, which is chock full of who-knows-how-many random canned goods that must’ve seemed necessary at some point, but are now just taking up space. Obviously, having canned goods around is worthwhile, but when you realize you have more than 10 cans of chickpeas and almost as many cans of full-fat coconut milk in a household of only two people—and then factor in that those cans have probably been sitting in the pantry for nigh on a year—it might be time to reevaluate a little.

Lucky for me, I happened upon a delightful (and delightfully easy) recipe that would help! Behold, dear readers: I bring you chickpea stew with turmeric and coconut milk. On the chance that you’re anything like me and just have piles of the main ingredients just lying around, occupying precious pantry space, you may now rejoice. And, for the more normal folks among you, this recipe is just plain delicious. (Bonus: if any of you gave up meat for Lent, it’s vegetarian, and easy to convert to vegan.)

Picture and original recipe credit goes to cooking.nytimes.com. Recipe modified by me.

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Turmeric and Coconut Milk

Serves: 4-6
Time: 1 hour-ish

Ingredients

• ¼ C olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
• 2 15-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk (see Pro Tips)
• 2 C vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch chard, kale, or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 lemon
• ½-1 C mint leaves, for garnish
• Full-fat, plain Greek-style yogurt, for garnish (optional, leave out to make vegan)

Pro Tips

• If you don’t like or don’t have canned chickpeas, feel free to use dry ones. Some people swear by the quick-soak method, but I like the texture better if I do a full, overnight soak.

• When buying your groceries, avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk in cartons (i.e. the drinking kind), and cream of coconut. You just want the plain, unsweetened kind of full-fat coconut milk in a can.

• This stew is best when served alongside toasted pita, naan, or some other flatbread. You can also serve over plain basmati rice, or with tabouli, or with a simple fresh salad.

The Nitty-Gritty

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add turmeric, chickpeas, and red-pepper flakes. Season again with season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil. Continue crisping them until they’ve started to break down and get a tiny bit browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
5. Using a wooden spoon, spatula, or potato smasher to crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides (this will help thicken the stew).
6. Add coconut milk and stock to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened and flavors have started to come together, 30 to 35 minutes. Be sure to taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough. If the stew has not reached the desired thickness after 35 minutes, continue stewing until it hits your preference.
8. Add your chosen greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook for a few minutes so they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.)
9. Season one last time with salt and pepper, since the greens can soak up some of your flavor.
10. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes, a good drizzle of olive oil, and a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
11. If using yogurt, add a dollop to each bowl.

Et voilà! A yummy, healthy, vegan or vegetarian, gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, (how many other food-related buzzwords can I think of?) recipe.

Hope you enjoy!