PREP TIME 10 mins | COOK TIME 20 mins | TOTAL TIME 30 mins | SERVES 3ish
A few weeks ago, you asked me for some easy vegetarian one-pot dinners. It’s one of my favourite subjects! I love this particular recipe, which comes together in said single pot in less than 30 minutes, and it’s so rich and creamy–and packed with super-nutritious foods!–that I bet you’re going to love it too.
I started riffing on these braised chick peas from The Kitchn a few years ago. I never loved the sun-dried tomatoes, but the coconut-chick pea-greens combo is magic, and I added curry paste since it makes everything better (in my opinion).
During the live demo on the 20-Minute Cooking School, I hit a few key tips that make this, and any other vegetarian main course, that much better. Here they are:
Start by sweating the onions — low heat, covered, with a pinch of salt in there. It takes some time but it’s the sweet, balanced base for the whole dish.
Yes, you may want a ceramic horseradish grater like mine. Check it out.
Vegetarian food needs a little more love in terms of flavour-building. Ginger, garlic and curry paste are always a good idea.
Kale shouldn’t ever be “tender-crisp”. Yuck. It should be “meltingly tender”. This takes time and low heat (like the onions). Your patience rewarded will be!
Salt. Salt. SALT. If the dish tastes a little ho-hum, add salt! (and a squeeze of lemon if you like)
Coconut-Curry Chickpeas & Greens
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
about 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons hot curry paste
½ teaspoon salt
Half a 284g bag chopped kale (4 cups tightly packed)
540-mL can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400-mL can coconut milk
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low. Add oil, then onion. Cook gently until onion is very soft and just tinged with gold, about 8 min. Add garlic and ginger and cook another 2 min or so. Stir in curry paste and salt, then add kale and a splash of water. Cover and cook until kale is very tender, about 10 min. Stir in chickpeas and coconut milk. Simmer 5 min.
TIP: Serve this spooned over rice or toast or a baked sweet potato -- or just on its own. Don't use low-fat coconut milk (it's no fun at all).
Click below for a printable version of this recipe.