Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric

 Mark and Isha’s Submission

(Credit: Alison Roman, New York Times Cooking)

This healthy chickpea stew borrows some flavors from Indian and Caribbean cuisine. In our household, we like sinus-clearing amounts of garlic and a heavy hand on the red-pepper shaker, but you can adjust it to suit your own tastes. The quantities listed below are by-the-book, as opposed to Mark-and-Isha levels.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 olive oil, plus more for serving

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons ground turmeric, 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 or chicken stock

1 bunch swiss chard, torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup mint leaves, for serving

Preparation:

Step 1
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.
Step 2
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.
Step 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 stock, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 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. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
Step 5
Add swiss chard pieces and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, about 3 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.