Kale and Chickpea Stew

Kale and Chickpea Stew Submitted by: Nancy Riley INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)/ I used a few tsp of canola oil instead 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional 1/4 teaspoon whole yellow-mustard seeds 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained 5 cups vegetable stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth 1 pound kale, stems removed, cut into bite size pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk Cooked jasmine rice, for serving 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish 1/4 cup julienned red bell pepper, for garnish INSTRUCTIONS In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat ghee over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and yellow mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute longer. Add sweet potatoes, chickpeas, vegetable broth, kale, and salt and increase heat to medium-high. As soon as stew begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 35 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 15 minutes longer. Serve with jasmine rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and red bell pepper. Serves 4 to 6 Cook’s Note: Turmeric is a rhizome that is used widely in Indian cooking. It is one of the main ingredients in curry, lending it a distinctive flavor. Turmeric has a slightly bitter flavor. It is used as a food coloring for cheese, butter, and mustard thanks to its bright yellow color. Turmeric is also considered a super antioxidant and is used in both Indian and Chinese herbal medicines.