Gjelina’s Chickpea Stew 

From the “Gjelina” cookbook 

Ingredients: 

Stew (Yield: 4-6 servings)

  • 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained and rinsed 

  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds OR 3/8 ground cumin 

  • 1 tsp coriander seeds OR 1/2 tsp ground coriander 

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds OR 3/4 tsp ground fennel 

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick half-moons

  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 

  • Sea salt 

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

  • 1 tsp ground smoked paprika 

  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric 

  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs 

  • 1 bay leaf 

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste -omit for some protocols. 

  • 1 cup dry white wine 

  • 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and roughly chopped 

  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar 

  • Spiced yogurt (optional, recipe below) 

Spiced Yogurt (Yield: 1 cup) -Omit if not eating fats w/ beans.

  • 1/8 tsp coriander seeds OR scant 1/8 tsp ground coriander 

  • 1/8 tsp cumin seeds or scant 1/8 tsp ground cumin 

  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt  -I used plain cashew yogurt instead. 

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 

  • 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint 

  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar 

  • Juice of a quarter lemon

  • Sea salt 

Directions: 

Stew

  • Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas in a large pot and cover with water by several inches. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chickpeas are soft and tender but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

  • If using ground spices, skip this step. In a small frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds until fragrant, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Once cooled, grind spices using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside. 

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, a generous pinch of salt and ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have started to soften and take on some color, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground fennel, smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it begins to darken, stirring constantly about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up all the bits on the bottom. Cook until the wine has reduced by about ¾, 2-3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, add the stock, and bring to a simmer.  

  • Carefully transfer 1 cup of the soup to a blender along with 2 cups of the cooked chickpeas. Blend until smooth. Return puree to the soup pot. Add the kale and cook until softened. Gently stir in the remaining chickpeas. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

  • Just before serving, add the vinegar. Serve with a dollop of spiced yogurt

Spiced Yogurt

  • If using ground spices, skip this step. In a small frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Once cooled, grind spices using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. 

  • In a food processor combine the yogurt with the ground spices, cilantro, and mint. Process until the herbs are ground, and the yogurt is tinted green. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Pulse until just incorporated. Season with salt to taste. 

All Posts, Beany RecipesUnique Hammond