Hope you are having a good week. Here is a post on a warm little side dish.

Can you believe December is already here?

During fall and winter I like to have comforting food that will make me feel as warm and cozy as a soft-knit sweater.  This chickpea dish did just that! The earthy spices in the sauce mingle gently with the mushy texture of the chickpeas.  To add more dimension, I layered on the texture by adding crunchy fried onions on top of the dish.

This makes a great side dish because you can prepare other dishes while this simmers away in the stove, or while it braises in the oven.

So here is what you need.

Ingredients:
2 tblsp olive oil, divided
2 tblsp canola or corn oil
1 large onion (2 small ones), thinly sliced, divided
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1.5 tsp coriander, divided
1 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp cumin
2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas OR 1 cup of dried chickpeas (about 1/2 lb or 230 g)*, rinsed
1 can of whole plump tomatoes**
salt and pepper
yogurt & mint for garnish

Tools:
strainer
wooden spoon
large pot
baking dish 9″ x 9″
small pan

In a large pot, over medium heat, add 1.5 tblsp of olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, cook 3/4 of the onions until soft and tender (about 5 minutes), reserve the 1/4 for later use. Add the garlic, 1 tsp of coriander, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until nice and golden.  Add the can of tomatoes and let simmer over medium-low heat until you get a nice sauce (about 20-30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the sauce has achieved the desired consistency add the chickpeas and stir thoroughly. Cook for about five minutes, check and adjust your seasoning, and transfer into a baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and braise for 20-30 minutes more, depending how thick you want the end result.

While the chickpeas are in the oven, heat 2 tblsp of canola oil in a small pan over high heat.  Once the oil is hot, fry the remaining onions until golden brown and add 1/2 tsp of coriander.  Continue cooking until dark-brown and crispy. Be careful not to over-fry them, as they will taste bitter and unappetizing.

To serve this I added a dollop of yogurt, fresh mint chiffonade, and a drizzle of olive oil. I served it on top of quinoa for a satisfying and hearty side.

Hope you enjoy this!

* If you opt to use dried chickpeas then I suggest you cook them in pressure cooker (or slow cooker).  This is what you’ll need to do: add 1 cup of chickpeas, 3-4 cups of water, 1.5 tsp of salt and cook for 3 hours until tender.

** Unless its summer and you have beautiful tomatoes to make a sauce (and time to make one!) then I suggest you buy good quality WHOLE tomatoes