Spiced chickpeas are crisped in olive oil, then simmered in garlicky coconut milk for an insanely creamy, basically-good-for-you stew that evokes stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean. While the chickpeas alone would be good as a side dish, they are further simmered with stock, bolstered with dark, leafy greens of your choice and finished with a handful of fresh mint. When shopping, be sure to avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut: All are very different and would not be suitable here.
Notes
Useful suggestions
- Added a jalapeño with the onion/garlic/ginger mixture
- Doubled the amount of onion
- Added a cumin / curry powder / garam masala
- At the very end of cooking, add juice from half a lime and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce
- Beet greens worked well for me, as did cilantro for a garnish
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil - plus more for serving
- 4 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1 large yellow onion - chopped
- 1 2-inch piece ginger - finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground curry powder - plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes - plus more for serving
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas - drained and rinsed
- 2 15-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable stock - or chicken stock
- 1 bunch Swiss chard - kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup mint leaves - for serving
- Yogurt - for serving (optional)
- Toasted pita - lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium.
- Add garlic, onion, 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 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, 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.
- Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
- 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 stock, 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. (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. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 538mgPotassium: 434mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3495IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 2mg