This isn’t the prettiest stew, but it’s an awfully delicious dinner.   It’s a nice vegetarian meal that’s loaded with seasonal vegetables.  The flavors all meld together really nicely.  I love the sweetness of the coconut milk mixed with the mild flavors of the vegetables.   The whole stew tends towards the sweet because of the coconut milk.   It doesn’t have anything spicy in it to temper the sweetness, and that’s ok with me.    My husband enjoyed it, but he’s used to me making things with a fiery kick and he wished that this had a little more heat.   He sprinkled a little cayenne pepper on his.  If your have kids who are adventurous eaters (I wish we did), this is a perfect meal for them.   It has a hint of Thai flavor, lots of vegetables, but it’s not spicy at all.  Serve it over brown rice and it’s delicious!

I couldn’t find yellow curry paste at my local market, but I did find Massaman curry paste so I used that. It was both mild and delicious.

Chickpea Vegetable Stew

Recipe from Weelicious

3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon yellow curry paste (Massaman curry paste can be used also)
1 zucchini, chopped into cubes
1 yellow squash, chopped into cubes
1 small eggplant, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 large bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cup cooked brown rice

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until melted. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, 3 – 4 minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the curry paste and cook for another minute.

Add the zucchini, squash and eggplant and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and coconut milk. Bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the coconut milk has reduced slightly, about 9 or 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cilantro and mint. Cook until the herbs begin to wilt, 1 – 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and salt.

Serve over brown rice.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings

One year ago: Egg-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Two years ago: Marshmallows
Three years ago: Smoky Black Bean and Cheddar Burrito with Baby Spinach
Four years ago: Caramelized Spiced Nuts
Five years ago: Fresh Corn with Shrimp and Cherry Tomatoes