1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2″ piece of fresh ginger, finely minced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 – 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 – 15 oz cans full-fat coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
kale cut in bite sized pieces, or whole spinach
Yogurt for serving
Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional
- Heat 1/4 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 1/2 teaspoons turmeric 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 potato masher, 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, 35 to 50 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.
- Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you’d like.
Adapted from Alison Roman
