Best Indian Spiced Kale Chickpeas Recipes

INDIAN SPICED CHICKPEAS AND GREENS

Steps:

• Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the oil and onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic, and sauté for ~ 1 minute.
• Stir the chickpeas, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and salt into the pan. In a small bowl mix the tomato paste with the 1/4 cup of water until smooth, then add to the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the kale or greens of choice and a small sprinkle of salt to the pan. Let the greens wilt for about 1 minute to shrink somewhat before trying to stir them in. Carefully stir as the greens wilt to mix in fully. Sauté an additional 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the lemon juice, and stir, cooking 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro or scallion greens, and serve with basmati rice, asian noodles, or Indian flatbread. Finish it off with some hot sauce, sambal oelek, or plain unsweetened nondairy yogurt or raita. Enjoy!

CHANA MASALA (SAVORY INDIAN CHICK PEAS)

Steps:

• Grind onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and chile pepper together in a food processor into a paste.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry bay leaves in hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the paste into the skillet and cook until the oil begins to separate from the mixture and is golden brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the mixture with chili powder, coriander, powder, gram masala, turmeric, and salt; cook and stir until very hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir enough water into the mixture to get a thick gravy; bring to a boil and stir chickpeas into the gravy. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the chickpeas are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

INDIAN-SPICED KALE & CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute.
• Add broth, coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in chickpeas; cover and cook until the chickpeas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves. When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.
• Ingredient Note: Garam masala, a ground spice mixture traditionally including coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves, is commonly used in Indian cooking. Find it in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets.
• Carbohydrate Servings: 2.
• Exchanges: 1 starch, 1.5 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat.

INDIAN KALE WITH CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add onion and chile pepper; saute until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chickpeas, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt; saute for 5 minutes. Pour in a splash of water, followed by lemon zest and juice. Season further to taste if desired.
• Fold kale into the mixture until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

SPICED CHICKPEA STEW WITH COCONUT AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• 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.
• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, 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.
• 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.
• 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!
• 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.
• Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.