Chickpeas, fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes are slowly simmered with garlic, ginger, lemon and coconut milk. The result is one highly-flavorful and satisfying dish.
Chef's notes
You can add additional spices to this dish. For instance, if you are in the mood for curry flavors, try adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of curry powder or a nice masala mix. When adding spices, add them after the ginger and garlic. For added texture, you could also add ingredients such as water chestnuts or nuts at the end. Feel free to experiment to see what delicious combinations you come up with.
Steps
1
Starting the Dish
Ingredients
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 whole lemon
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes*
2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 - 15 oz can)
1/2 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
1 tbsp coconut oil**
To prepare your mise en place, first dice the onion and mince the garlic and ginger. Next, zest the lemon. Juice the lemon and reserve for later. Measure out the sun-dried tomatoes and julienne. *Note: If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, make sure to drain them first.
Lastly, drain (if using canned) and measure out the chickpeas. Rinse. Gather the chili flakes and coconut oil. **Note: If desired, omit the oil and dry-sauté the onions with a bit of vegetable stock or water.
To cook the dish, heat a large Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over low to medium-low heat and then add the oil, followed by the onions and a good pinch of salt. Let the onions sweat for about 10 minutes or until translucent (in this case, a bit of color is fine). Once soft, add the garlic and ginger and let cook for another minute or so. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and chili flakes. Let cook for another minute or so.
Next, add the chickpeas and stir to coat in the tomato mixture. At this point, turn up the heat slightly and sort of fry the chickpeas a bit. Keep an eye on them though so they don't scorch. You just want them to have a little color. This should only take a few minutes.
2
Adding the Spinach
Ingredients
1/2 lb fresh spinach*
Once the chickpeas are heated through, turn the heat down slightly and start to add the spinach, a handful at a time.
*Note: If using baby spinach you can add it as is. If you are using regular spinach, you will need to chop or tear it up a bit.
Once the first bunch of spinach has started to wilt, add in the next handful. Continue until all of the spinach has been added.
3
Finishing the Dish
Ingredients
1 - 14 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp ground ginger
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro (to garnish)
To finish the dish, add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir to combine and then add the ground ginger and a bit of the reserved lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. Add more lemon juice, salt and/or pepper as needed.
Once everything has heated through, serve immediately. The spinach will start to lose its color and it won't look as nice. Serve it with brown rice or any grain of your choice. Garnish each plate with a healthy serving of fresh cilantro and enjoy!
The First 3 Are On Us
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I made this dish last week. I prefer more spice, so I roasted up some spices and peppers (whole cumin, coriander, black and green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, dried whole red peppers + about 1/4 cup of water) to make a slurry and added this to the base. I also cooked the onions with one fresh Thai green chili.
The flavor was fantastic and the dish was very quick to make.
Thank you
I liked it...
...but this was my first time cooking with sun dried tomatoes...they were a bit unwieldy...I'm guessing I should have diced them or something?
...and since I'm in the plant based cooking course, last time I was in the big city (Shreveport, LA, USA) I got a bunch of whole grains to play with...I happened to grab Amaranth tonight, and I think I should have taken your advice on the brown basmati even though I had that last night :)
last but not least...while in the 'big city' I grabbed some coconut oil...and after this dish, I'm convinced that it is heaven in a jar...it was wonderful! I was trying to find places where I could sub it as a healthy option for butter...any thoughts? (I figured, pilaf would be a great start...)
Great work Eric! Re: the sun dried tomatoes, yes can be quite potent and work best if sliced or chopped a bit. Like olives, they have a deep flavor burst. My introduction to amaranth was an an added ingredient to a 3 bean chili I was making once. A small cup of amaranth in the cooking liquid make the chili nice and thick and it added a nutty/toasty flavor.
I use coconut oil in much of my cooking these days. I find the flavor pairs well with Latin American, Middle Eastern and Indian food quite well in most cases (not all). Thanks for the cooking adventure - Cheers!
It is a nice recipe to keep in mind. I usually have all the ingredients on hand. It tastes great. I think next time I will chop up the sun dried tomatoes so I will taste them on every bite. Thanks you Rouxbe.
This is one of my go to dishes, for me, it's enough for a meal, but was wondering what everyone is serving with this? A side, a salad? what kind of dessert would you serve up? Thanks, want to wow my friends and I keep going back and forth!
I was really impressed with not only how easy this was but how delicious it was, too! I'm gearing up for the professional course starting this week and everything has been so,so good.
The blend of flavors was nice. Enjoyed this dish. Had it with mashed white sweet potatoes for quickness. ;Will have to try it with brown basmati rice as suggested also.
Hi Alicia: What great news for you! Lemons are a highly nutrient-dense food--instead of salt--lemons will elevate the flavors in a dish just as well. Hope you enjoyed the Coconut Braised Chickpeas. Lemons are an exciting food to explore! Cheers and happy cooking. Char
Wow. This dish served over organic long-grain brown rice made a very skeptical teenager smile and ask for more. "Lemon, ginger, and what?" Silence---and, the rest is history.
I recommend adding the spinach in the end just before serving to conserve its color and not let it become to mushy.
Also for next level flavours, add the zest of the lemon before slicing and juicing it. Then try adding Sri Lanka curry or Thai 7 spice blend, brings incredible vibrant notes. Any curry is actually a great addition, I often start cooking the onions and then add a teaspoon of red curry paste for added complexity and heat.
Great recipe, has followed me since I finished my course, a crowd favourite at dinner parties!
Ken R • Rouxbe Staff •Glad you enjoyed it! I think this dish goes really well with brown basmati rice and some chopped chilies. Cheers!
Rebecca B •I made this dish last week. I prefer more spice, so I roasted up some spices and peppers (whole cumin, coriander, black and green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, dried whole red peppers + about 1/4 cup of water) to make a slurry and added this to the base. I also cooked the onions with one fresh Thai green chili. The flavor was fantastic and the dish was very quick to make. Thank you
Eric H •I liked it... ...but this was my first time cooking with sun dried tomatoes...they were a bit unwieldy...I'm guessing I should have diced them or something? ...and since I'm in the plant based cooking course, last time I was in the big city (Shreveport, LA, USA) I got a bunch of whole grains to play with...I happened to grab Amaranth tonight, and I think I should have taken your advice on the brown basmati even though I had that last night :) last but not least...while in the 'big city' I grabbed some coconut oil...and after this dish, I'm convinced that it is heaven in a jar...it was wonderful! I was trying to find places where I could sub it as a healthy option for butter...any thoughts? (I figured, pilaf would be a great start...)
Kathleen S •It is a nice recipe to keep in mind. I usually have all the ingredients on hand. It tastes great. I think next time I will chop up the sun dried tomatoes so I will taste them on every bite. Thanks you Rouxbe.
Dawn T •Great to hear Chris — this is one of our favourites as well. In fact, I just made it last week too :-)
Chris S •Straight to the top of my list. Can,t wait to do it again and also make it with variations.
Debbie D •This is one of my go to dishes, for me, it's enough for a meal, but was wondering what everyone is serving with this? A side, a salad? what kind of dessert would you serve up? Thanks, want to wow my friends and I keep going back and forth!
Sarah C •I was really impressed with not only how easy this was but how delicious it was, too! I'm gearing up for the professional course starting this week and everything has been so,so good.
Faith B •The blend of flavors was nice. Enjoyed this dish. Had it with mashed white sweet potatoes for quickness. ;Will have to try it with brown basmati rice as suggested also.
Rose W •I agree, this dish is amazing. I only had abut 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes and it was still delicious and flavorful. Served with Basmati Rice.
Char N • Rouxbe Staff •Karen: it is such a great dish. Everyone loves the flavors and textures of this delicious recipe. Thanks for letting us know. Cheers, Char
Kate F •Wow. This dish served over organic long-grain brown rice made a very skeptical teenager smile and ask for more. "Lemon, ginger, and what?" Silence---and, the rest is history.
Ingimar hrimnir S •I recommend adding the spinach in the end just before serving to conserve its color and not let it become to mushy. Also for next level flavours, add the zest of the lemon before slicing and juicing it. Then try adding Sri Lanka curry or Thai 7 spice blend, brings incredible vibrant notes. Any curry is actually a great addition, I often start cooking the onions and then add a teaspoon of red curry paste for added complexity and heat. Great recipe, has followed me since I finished my course, a crowd favourite at dinner parties!