This Indian-inspired chickpea stew features lots of warming spices, chickpeas, cabbage, and carrots. Everything gets braised in the oven and the result is a rich and hearty yet wholesome stew that will satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
– Grapeseed oil – Yellow onion – Carrots – Cabbage – Garlic cloves – Ginger – Tomato paste – Indian red chili powder – Ground turmeric – Ground nutmeg – Dry white wine – Vegetable broth – Chickpeas – Golden raisins – Tomatoes – Coconut milk – Cardamom pods
First, add the whole cardamom pods, cloves, cumin/coriander/fennel seeds to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and very roughly grind to release their aroma. The texture should be quite coarse.
Heat a bit of the oil in a Dutch oven or a stove-to-oven braising pan like this. Add the roughly ground spices and cinnamon sticks and cook briefly until aromatic. Then add the chopped cabbage, carrots, and onion.
Add in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring vigorously to coat. Add in the ground spices (turmeric, nutmeg, Indian red chili powder) and cook 1 minute. Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits and fond from bottom of the pan, and deglaze the pan.
Add in the vegetable broth, canned chickpeas, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, raisins, and salt/pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover the pan with the lid, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour until the chickpeas and vegetables are soft.
Pour the coconut milk into the pan, return to the oven, and braise for 10 minutes. Finish the stew with lemon juice, garam masala, cilantro, and salt/pepper to taste.