This is one of my absolute favorite dishes of all time. It’s hot and comforting, yet refreshing and energizing. You almost can’t place the cuisine – is it Mediterranean with the sun-dried tomatoes and lemon zest? Is it Southeast Asian with it’s coconut, garlic, ginger combo? Is it Indian in it’s curry-like beginnings? 
I think that’s what makes this dish wholesome year-round: sun-dried tomatoes and lemon zest evoke the end of summer, and the garlic-ginger-coconut milk warmth evokes the height of winter. So get to it – anytime is a perfect time for this creamy bowl of goodness. 
The trick here is two-fold: sweating the onions slowly without oil in a bit of broth to get a rich base, and then toasting the chickpeas before adding the coconut milk to get a nice texture from the beans. 
Don’t skimp on the ginger powder and extra lemon at the end – it’s what really makes this dish zing!
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1 large organic lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas**
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
- 1/2 lb fresh spinach
- 1 can coconut milk (14 oz)***
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)
- Heat a large dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium heat and then add onions, a tablespoon of broth, and a good pinch of salt. Let the onions sweat for about 10 minutes or until translucent, adding a few tablespoons of broth at a time to prevent sticking. Once soft, add the garlic and ginger and let cook for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and chili flakes. Let cook for another minute or so.
- Next, add the chickpeas and stir to coat in the tomato mixture. Turn up the heat slightly and toast the chickpeas a bit, 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on them though so they don't scorch; you just want them to have a little color. Use a tablespoon of broth if needed to prevent sticking.
- Once the chickpeas are heated through, turn the heat down slightly and start to add the spinach, a handful at a time. Note: If using baby spinach you can add it as is. If you are using regular spinach, you will need to chop or tear it up a bit.
- Once the first bunch of spinach has started to wilt, add in the next handful. Continue until all of the spinach has been added.
- To finish the dish, add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir to combine and then add the ground ginger and a bit of the reserved lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. Add more lemon juice, salt and/or pepper as needed.
- Once everything has heated through, serve immediately. (The spinach will start to lose its color and it won't look as nice.) Serve over sweet potato, brown rice, or any grain of your choice. Garnish each plate with cilantro and enjoy!
- * - Soak dried tomatoes in water for 15 minutes to plump them up. Alternatively, if using sun-dried tomatoes stored in oil, simply drain, rinse and pat dry tomatoes.
- ** - 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can (15oz)
- *** - You can you light or full-fat coconut milk. The former is lower in fat and will give you a broth-type consistency while the latter has more fat but will also be more creamy.
You must keep stirring, gently coaxing the starches from the rice as it absorbs the hot broth.
It definitely takes some work, but boy is it worth it. This is definitely a different take from my 
