A flavorful stew that will reliably warm you up
When the sky remains overcast all day and the temperatures are uncomfortably damp and cold, your body craves a simple meal. Instead of spending hours cooking elaborate meals, it's best to opt for a dish that's quick to prepare and warms you from the inside out. A spicy chickpea and chili stew does just that.
- 20 g fresh ginger
- 2 red onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 red chili peppers
- 400 g potatoes (firm-cooking)
- 300 g carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cans of chickpeas (240 g each)
- 2 tbsp Coconut oil
- 2 tsp green curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 20 ml vegetable broth
- 1 tsp black cumin seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 bunch of parsley
- 4 tablespoons of yogurt
- Peel the ginger, onions, and garlic. Finely chop the ginger, dice the onions, and mince the garlic.
- Wash the chili peppers, remove the seeds and cut them into rings.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into approximately 2 cm cubes. Peel the carrots and slice them.
- Wash the bell peppers, remove the core and cut them into small pieces.
- Place the chickpeas in a sieve, rinse them thoroughly and let them drain well.
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the ginger, onions, garlic, and chili until fragrant and the onions are translucent.
- Add potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and chickpeas and sauté briefly, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle curry powder, cumin and smoked paprika powder over it and briefly roast everything.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir everything well, bring it to a boil, and then let the stew simmer over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are soft.
- Season the stew with salt, pepper, and black cumin.
- Wash the parsley, shake it dry and roughly chop it.
- Serve the stew in deep bowls, add a spoonful of yogurt to each, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
Recipe for chickpea and chili stew
A good stew is an absolute lifesaver in the cold season. Once all the ingredients are in the pot, the stove does most of the work. In this dish, chickpeas take center stage. They bring a slightly nutty flavor and retain their shape while cooking. While delicate vegetables quickly fall apart in the broth, the legumes maintain a pleasant bite. This gives the dish a great texture and ensures that you'll be truly satisfied after just one bowl.
The real highlight of this recipe, however, is its fiery spiciness. Fresh chili peppers will warm you up after just a few spoonfuls. This effect is invaluable, especially after a long walk in the rain. You have complete control over the heat level. If you prefer it milder, halve the peppers before slicing and scrape out the seeds and the white membranes. That's where most of the heat is concentrated. For those who love it really hot, simply slice the chili whole into thin rings.
Spicy food is an exciting element in cooking. Strictly speaking, it's not one of the classic tastes like sweet or salty, but rather a physical reaction to the substance capsaicin. This reaction stimulates blood circulation and creates a pleasant warming sensation. Many people also find spicy food to be mood-boosting, which is a welcome side effect on gloomy days. The most important thing is to gradually work your way up to the right amount so that the spices enhance the natural flavor of the chickpeas and don't completely overpower it.
Like most one-pot meals, this stew has a significant advantage when prepared in advance. It tastes even more intense the next day because the flavors have time to infuse overnight in the refrigerator. So it's always worth cooking a larger batch. You don't need much to serve it. A thick slice of toasted sourdough bread is perfect for sopping up the flavorful broth. A spoonful of natural yogurt or some fresh parsley on the plate adds a refreshing contrast to the spiciness.
Fancy some more delicious stews? Then try a quinoa and zucchini stew, an Italian chickpea stew, or a vegan solyanka.
