THE STEEEEEEW. Okay, I am so far behind on this stew I know it came out so long ago now, I just never got around to trying it out. You better believe that now I’m kicking myself because I can’t imagine a life without this. It takes less than an hour to come together, and is somehow light and refreshing while simultaneously the perfect filling Fall stew. I know, I don’t get it either, it’s a beautiful contradiction. For those who maybe have a social life and don’t follow food people as obsessively as I do, here’s the lowdown. This stew recipe from Alison Roman came out ages ago to an explosive following. Everywhere I turned, it seemed people were talking about “The Stew”. At some point, a particularly scathing review was posted and claimed that the reason so many people liked the stew was because no one was actually following the recipe, to which Alison Roman replied that the recipe is whatever we want it to be. First of all, I love that. Second of all, whoever wrote that article was WAY off base. And THIRD of all, I followed this recipe exactly and have not even 1 regret. NOT ONE. In conclusion, who’s to say.
I have to admit, I really love recipes that give you options for putting your own spin on it. So much of how I learned to cook involved tweaking recipes that I already knew. And, while I support anyone who wants to change this around, I stuck pretty closely to the recipe. The base of this stew is simple- garlic, ginger, onion, red pepper flakes, and *duh* chickpeas. Turmeric gives it this gorgeous color, and the coconut milk is smooth and silky. Stir in some kale towards the end, top with a generous swoop of yogurt and a toasted pita and eat with rice. Boom, your new favorite meal.
Before we get started, here are 5 things to be happy about today!!
ONE. Supermarket free samples.
TWO. Pumpkin waffles and cinnamon syrup.
THREE. The first tree that starts to turn for Fall.
FOUR. Connecting with a stranger’s dog on the street.
FIVE. Getting a seat on a crowded subway.
Let’s cook!!
New York Times Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 [2-inch] piece ginger; peeled and minced
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 [15-oz] cans chickpeas; drained and rinsed
- 2 [15 oz] cans full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 bunch kale; stems removed and torn into pieces
- Mint, plain yogurt, toasted pita, basmati rice; for serving
- Salt + Pepper; for seasoning
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onions, garlic, and ginger with some salt and pepper in the oil until the onion is translucent, around 5 minutes.
- Add the turmeric, red pepper flakes, and chickpeas, and season again with a little more salt and pepper. Cook so that the chickpeas begin to fry slightly, and get crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the cooked chickpeas and set aside in a bowl for the finished stew.
- Using a wooden spoon/ spatula, gently crush the remaining chickpeas in the pot, so that they break apart and release some of their starch, which will help thicken the stew later. Add the coconut milk and the stock, and bring to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the stew has reached your desired level of thickness. (I thought my stew looked too thin, but keep in mind that adding the greens will help too!)
- Add the kale about 7 minutes before you're finished cooking, until they're slightly wilted and softened. Do a seasoning check and adjust salt + pepper levels accordingly.
- To serve, put a portion of rice into each bowl, top with the stew and then some of the reserved whole chickpeas. A scoop of yogurt and a handful of mint, as well as a toasty pita, and you're SET!
Looking for more stew content already? Fear not, I’ve been thinking about cold-weather food for a month now. Look here and here!