Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut Milk & Turmeric

This creamy and indulgent vegetarian stew was hearty and delicious. The dish is based on Southern Indian chickpea stews and some stews found in the Caribbean. I loved how it was loaded with greens (I used Swiss chard) and toppings. An added bonus is that the stew and toppings are made in one pot.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alison Roman. I doubled the onions and garlic, used rainbow chard, and substituted parsley for mint. We ate it over Basmati rice with warm naan on the side. Wonderful!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 to 8 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 to 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• ground coriander and/or ground cinnamon, to taste, if desired
• 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, spinach, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces (I used rainbow chard)
• 1/2 to 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves, for serving
• yogurt, for serving, optional (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
• toasted naan, pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving, optional
• Basmati rice, for serving, optional

1. 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.
2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, (ground coriander and/or ground cinnamon- as desired) 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.
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.
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! (I continued to cook the stew to a thicker consistency.)
5. 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.
6. Divide among bowls, over rice (if desired) and top with mint/parsley, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil.
7. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita or naan, if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you’d like.

Jerk Chicken with Spicy Pineapple Sauce & West Indies Roti

It cost a small fortune to make this marinade, but it was completely worth it! (I only wish that I had put more chicken in it!!) When I saw Mario Batali make this Caribbean meal on The Chew, I wanted to make it and pulled up the recipe immediately. SOooo many delicious flavors.

This recipe was adapted from The Chew, contributed by Mario Batali. I increased the amount of chicken, used skinless chicken thighs, and incorporated whole wheat flour in the roti. The amount of spicy pineapple sauce in this recipe could easily be cut in half. (& I am a HUGE sauce person!) Any leftovers would be tasty eaten as a salsa with tortilla chips.

The chicken did develop a nice char in the oven, but this would be an amazing dish to grill in the summer!! (It has to warm up soon…) I’m bringing this meal to share at Fiesta Friday #61 at Fiesta Friday.net. (Yes! a new home for the party & for Angie of The Novice Gardener.) Enjoy!!

For the Marinade:

• 1 med red onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup cayenne pepper – chipotle sauce
• 2 lemons, zest & juice
• 1 orange, zest & juice
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 scotch bonnet chile (cut in half)
• 2 serrano chiles (sliced)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Chicken:

• 10-14 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (I used 10 but should have used at least 14!!)
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Spicy Pineapple Sauce:

• 2 cups Pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1 lime, zest & juice
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the West Indies Roti (Flatbread):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 4 T  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup water

To Make the Marinade & Chicken:

1. For the Marinade: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade.
2. For the Chicken: Put the chicken pieces in a tight-sealing plastic container and pour the marinade over. (Alternatively, add the chicken to the large bowl of marinade!) Toss well to coat everywhere. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours-overnight is best. (I marinated the chicken for 12 hours and had amazing flavor.)
3. Preheat oven to 450°F or light your grill with one side hot, one side low.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes; it should get a little char on the top (we like that). If using a grill, place the chicken on the hot side of the grill and cook until nicely charred on both sides, then move to the cooler side and cook with the lid down until cooked through.
5. Serve hot, with pineapple ketchup and warm roti alongside.

To Make the Spicy Pineapple Sauce:

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. If not using immediately, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
   Makes 3 cups.

For the West Indies Roti (Flatbread):

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
2. Turn the mixer on and gradually add the oil and water while mixing, then mix for 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Flatten each slightly and roll out into 6-inch rounds.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and place the rotis in the pan, 2 at a time, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the crust is light brown. Turn with a wide spatula or tongs and cook for 1 minute on the other side. Repeat with the remaining dough and keep warm in a bowl, covered with a clean dish towel.

Notes:

• Use the same marinade for pork or fish.
• Buy pre-made roti or pitas for a quicker dinner.

One Year Ago:

• Chicken, Spinach, & Mushroom Casserole with Parmesan Croutons

Two Years Ago:

• Shrimp in Spiced Tomato Sauce
• Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry with Cashews