This is just the kind of stew for when skies turn gray and snowflakes begin to float by. It is also just right when the space between one big holiday meal and the next is filled with endless visions of sugar and butter. A healthy dish with loads of zing and the comfort inducing combination of warm tomatoes and filling chickpeas.

It is of course, a second recipe from my new favorite cookbook Plenty. I have continued to cook my way through this book with about a dozen recipes cooked, eaten, and enjoyed so far. If you at all have vegetarian inclinations (or just love veggies) this book belongs on your Christmas list.

The secret ingredient this time around is tamarind pulp. A staple ingredient of many world cuisines this sticky sour yet sweet brown pulp comes from the fruit of a tamarind tree. When thinned out with a little bit of water, tamarind adds an exotic note to the stew. Now I have played around with swiss chard and lemon soup, and found that swiss chard and lemon simply belong together. This stew is appropriately finished with a squeeze of lemon juice but the tamarind adds a tangy lemon-like background flavor which allows the swiss chard to really shine. Tomatoes, chickpeas, and a little rice bulk out the stew. Caraway seeds, usually found in rye bread, add a “what is that flavor” element that keeps everyone around the table guessing. The entire dish is a lively break from the ‘usual’ providing welcome relief to dinner at home during the holidays.

Swiss Chard Stew with Chickpea and Tamarind Print Recipe

Minimally Adapted from Plenty, by Yotam Ottolenghi

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves Serves 4

Calories per serving: 307 (not including rice or greek yogurt)

Fat per serving: 2.69 (without olive oil to finish or greek yogurt)

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Seedless Tamarind Pulp
• 1 lb Swiss Chard (stalks and leaves), cut into 1/2
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Corriander Seeds
• 1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons Caraway Seeds
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil, plus a little extra for finishing
• 1 teaspoon Tomato Paste
• 14 oz can Chopped Plum Tomtatoes, with liquid
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar (palm sugar if you have it)
• 2 1/2 cups Chickpeas, drained
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt (optional)
• 4 Tablespoons Coarsely Chopped Cilantro
• 1 3/4 cups Short-grain rice
• 3 cups Water

Cooking Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the tamarind paste and 3 Tablespoons of warm water until the tamarind is dissolved. Set aside.

Place a medium pot of salted water over high heat. When the water is at a full boil, add in the chard and blanch for 2 minutes. Immediately drain the chard in a colander.

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, roast the coriander seeds until they are fragrant (1-2 minutes). Transfer the seeds to a mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder and grind them into a powder.

Set a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and caraway seeds. Saute the onion until it is softened and a nice golden color, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste until it is well distributed. Pour in the canned tomatoes, water, sugar, chickpeas, ground coriander, chard, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the tamarind water into the pan. Press on the tamarind solids with the back of a spoon to extract a bit more liquid. Bring the liquid in the skillet to a boil, then cover with a lid and lower the heat slightly to maintain a strong simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure it is not boiling and loosing too much liquid. You want the final stew to have a saucy quality but not end up as a soup. Add more water as needed or cook with the lid off to evaporate excess water. When it is finished cooking, taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving.

When the stew is simmering, cook the rice. Place a medium pan with lid over medium heat. Add the water and rice and bring the liquid to a boil. When it is boiling cover the pan with the lid and turn the heat to low. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

To serve the stew, place rice in the bottom of each bowl and then spoon the stew on top. Garnish with yogurt if using and cilantro leaves. If desired drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to finish.