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[Recipe]: Spiced Chickpea With Coconut and Tumeric

Jun 17, 2020

Note: I recognize that there is controversy around Alison Roman. This is based on one of her recipes. It’s easy to make and delicious, but me posting this is not an endorsement of what she has done or what she stands for.

Ingredients

Process

  1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion, ginger, and chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon of Sofra spic blend, 1 teaspoon of rocoto chili paste, and the chickpeas. Season 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.
    • (Optional) Add coriander seeds or mustard seeds here.
  3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and vegetable broth, and continue to season with salt and pepper.
    • In a pinch adding hot water instead of vegetable broth would work too.
  4. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes.
    • Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.
    • If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
    • (Optional) You can add peeled sweet potato cut into chunks at this point since they will cook as you simmer.
  5. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using.
    • Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.
    • Or, my preference is to cook the greens separately (e.g., sautee the kale with some garlic) and then combine when serving.
  6. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you’d like.
    • (Optional) Serve on top of rice.
    • (Optional) Garnish with cilantro.
    • (Optional) Serve with a side of raita instead of plain yogurt. Mix yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. The salt goes a long way.

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