Chickpea Stew

This recipe uses coconut milk. Check the can carefully so you don't get coconut cream or coconut water. The flavor gets deeper as it sits, so this is a good one to make ahead. You can reheat it while you're making rice and add the greens towards the end.

Adapted from NY Times Cooking. The photo is theirs.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl. olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

• Salt & pepper

• 1-1/2 tsp. turmeric

• 1 tsp. cumin

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (more to taste)

• 2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 15-ounce can of coconut milk

• 1-1/2 cup vegetable broth

• 1 bunch kale, swiss chard or spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces

• 1 lime

• 1 cup torn mint leaves

• White or brown rice to serve 4

• Chopped unsalted or lightly salted peanuts

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until onion is soft and translucent and starting to brown on the edges, about 5-8 minutes.

2. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes and chickpeas. Cook, stirring frequently until chickpeas start to sizzle and get brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Pull out about 1/2 cup of the chickpeas to use as garnish at the end.

3. Add the coconut milk and broth to the skillet and season with more salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer, pushing down on some of the chickpeas to crush them a bit which will help thicken the stew. Simmer gently until the flavors have melded, at least 30 minutes and up to an hour if you want. Taste as it simmers and add more salt and pepper if needed. NOTE: You can make this ahead to this point, then reheat while you're making the rice.

4. Return the stew to a simmer and start your rice.

5. When the stew is almost thickened enough, stir in the kale/chard/spinach and submerge it in the liquid. Simmer until the greens are wilted stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Squeeze in juice from half a lime.

6. Put some rice on each plate, scoop some stew on top, and garnish with the mint, reserved chickpeas and peanuts. Put a wedge of the remaining lime on each plate for individual squeezing.