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Golden Chickpea Stew with Fried Onions

Golden Chickpea Stew with Fried Onions

This hearty Golden Chickpea Stew is comprised of a creamy split pea base flavored with curry powder and studded with chickpeas and garnished with crisp onions, tart yogurt, and refreshing mint.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Chickpea Soaking Time 8 hours
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 3 small carrots sliced
  • 3 stalks celery leaves removed and reserved, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds divided
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 8 cups water
  • 1½ cups yellow split peas
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 habanero pepper
  • 12-14 allspice berries
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 lemon juiced
Fried Onions
  • ½ yellow onion sliced into half-moons
  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • 2 tbsp celery leaves finely chopped
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup neutral oil for frying
To Assemble
  • ⅓ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • fresh mint leaves for serving

Equipment

  • Large dutch oven

Method
 

For the Soup
  1. Place the dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 8 hours. Drain the chickpeas and set aside.
  2. Pour the oil into a large dutch oven. Heat the oil until shimmering and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Saute until just translucent. Add the carrots and celery and saute until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add the curry powder, cumin seeds, and ground coriander and saute briefly until fragrant. Pour in the water, yellow split peas, and chickpeas. Bring the stew up to a boil and add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, habanero pepper, allspice berries, honey, and salt. Reduce the soup to a simmer and cover. let cook for 2 hours or until the split peas disintegrate completely. Stir the soup occasionally to prevent sticking. Feel free to add more water if the soup starts to look too thick.
  4. Finish the soup with lemon juice and keep warm until ready to serve.
For the Onions
  1. When the soup is about 20 minutes away from serving, make the onions. Place the onion in a bowl and add the chickpea flour, salt, cumin seeds, and celery leaves. Toss to coat. Set aside and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Pour the oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Once shimmering add the onion mixture in one go and let fry when it lands until it appears to be browning. Toss the mixture and let them cook undisturbed once again. Repeat until the onions are an even amber color on all sides. Transfer the onions to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
To Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of fried onions. Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately.