Spiced Chickpea & Coconut Stew
Upon my arrival in Washington, D.C., I moved into a shared row house close to the Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park. For the first time in my life, I had a spacious kitchen equipped with all kinds of tools and spices and, on top of that, a dining room big enough to host dinners with a great bunch of friends. I made this recipe as a starter for a friendsgiving dinner and many variations of it over the past years, but I always come back to this “base” recipe, originally written by the great food writer Alison Roman. Get ready for the most comforting, warming, spicy stew you’ll ever eat!
4
servings15
minutes45
minutes1
hourIngredients
60 ml 60 olive oil, plus more for serving
1 large 1 yellow onion, chopped
4 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 5 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped (no need to peel)
Salt & pepper
1 1/2 tsp 1 1/2 ground turmeric
1 tsp 1 ground cumin
1 tsp 1 red-pepper flakes
2 cans 2 chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cans 2 full-fat (!) coconut milk
Vegetable stock
1 1 bunch leaf spinach (or kale, or Swiss chard), stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
Thick Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)
Lemon juice
Cooked wild rice (optional)
Directions
- Wash cauliflower and cut it into even, bite-size florets. Chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt, pepper, a bit of turmeric and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, drain and rinse chickpeas.
- Add red-pepper flakes and chickpeas, and season again with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
- Using a wooden spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides (this will help thicken the stew). Add coconut milk and stock to the pot, and season with salt and pepper (yes, again). It’s important not to use low-fat coconut milk or any coconut “drink”. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring just occasionally until the stew has thickened and flavors have started to come together, 30 to 35 minutes. If you’re serving the stew over rice, this is when you’d start cooking it. After 30 minutes, taste a chickpea or two – not just the liquid – to make sure they have simmered long enough. If you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- Add your greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook a few minutes so they wilt and soften, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens).
- Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. I usually also add a sprinkle of curry.
- Divide among bowls and top with yogurt, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes, a good drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve alongside rice or toasted bread.
- I would recommend pairing this dish with a semi-dry white wine – “Asia Cuvée 2019”, Mayer am Pfarrplatz has been my favorite so far.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wooden spatula
- Colander
Notes
- It’s important not to use low-fat coconut milk or any coconut “drink”.
- After 30 minutes, taste a chickpea or two – not just the liquid – to make sure they have simmered long enough.
- I would recommend pairing this dish with a semi-dry white wine.