Spiced Chickpea Stew
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic scapes, sliced)
1 onion, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric or curry powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp red-pepper flakes or paprika (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (or water)
1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup mint and/or cilantro leaves, chopped, for serving
Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Rice, toasted pita or other flatbread, for serving (optional – recipe below)
Preparation:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic scapes, onion, carrot and ginger. 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.
- Add the spices and the chickpeas, and 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.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, slightly crush some of the chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and broth (or water), and season with salt and pepper.
- 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. If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- 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.) Season again with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Divide among bowls and top with mint and/or cilantro. Serve alongside yogurt, over rice, or with pita or flatbread if using.
Yogurt Flatbread
Makes 4 6-inch flatbreads
Ingredients:
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves of garlic (or 1 garlic scape, sliced)
Preparation:
- First, make the garlic butter: Peel and mince the garlic, and add it to the saucepan along with the butter. Heat over medium low heat while you make the dough.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. Add ¼ cup of yogurt (you may not need the full ½ cup amount). Use a spoon to mix until the dough starts to come together. Add yogurt if it seems dry, or a spoonful of flour if it’s sticky.
- On a very clean surface, knead by hand until the dough forms a smooth ball, which takes around 5 minutes. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
- After the dough has rested, dust your work surface with some flour, and cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into 6-inch circles.
- Preheat your pan over medium high heat. Brush one side of a dough circle with the garlic butter, and place into the pan, butter side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bubbles on the underside have browned. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- Remove from the pan, and keep warm in a clean kitchen towel while you cook the remaining dough. Serve right away or at room temperature.
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