Tuesday, March 24: Spiced Chickpea Stew with Kale and Turmeric
To me this soup is pure comfort food in a bowl. It feels deeply nourishing, with its turmeric and ginger, kale and chickpeas, coconut milk and chicken broth. I add Greek yogurt and lemon to each bowl so that it’s both creamy and bright. I’ve made it more than any other recipe so it also just has a sense of familiarity and healing. My body and mind craved it today — the perfect meal for right now. (See original recipe here, my adaptation below.)
Heat up about 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add one diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for 7-8 minutes, until softened. Add 4 minced cloves of garlic, a 2-inch piece of ginger (minced or grated), 1 tsp red pepper flakes, and 2-3 tsp ground turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, or until very fragrant. Increase heat to medium and add two cans of drained, rinsed chickpeas plus a large pinch of salt, and stir to coat in the spiced onion mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes (add a splash of olive oil if pot gets too try and chickpeas are sticking too much). Crush some of the chickpeas to help them break down — their starch will help thicken the stew.
Pour in two cans of full-fat coconut milk and 2-3 cups of chicken broth (the original recipe calls for 2 cups, but lately I’ve been adding extra to make it a bit more brothy), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add one large bunch or two medium bunches of Tuscan kale (or greens of choice), plus a pinch of salt, and simmer until wilted to your preference (I prefer them with a bit of bite, not too soft), just a few minutes. Taste and season with additional salt or red pepper flakes.
Ladle into bowls. This next step is KEY for me and totally elevates the flavors (but is totally up to you!): add a big spoonful of full-fat plain Greek yogurt and a big squeeze of lemon into each bowl, stir until creamy and a beautiful opaque yellow color. Devour and instantly feel healthy and renewed.