This Spicy Chickpea stew will definitely will definitely come in handy on a cold winter night. Hold up, nothing wrong with having this on a summer day. I mean its August in Wisconsin, not August in Texas!
I tell myself its totally normal to get a new spice blend from “The Spice House” whenever we visit the Milwaukee Public Market. Lucky for my little wallet and small kitchen, it happens only when we have friends visiting from out of town. Oh yes, we make sure our friends visit the Public Market! It’s a must see.
Want to savor some oysters , sushi and a glass of wine while you catch a game? Go on and grab a sit. You’re in for one heck of a treat. Or you might just want to grab a whole snapper to throw on the grill for a fun summer cookout.
How about some flavored olive oils for you lovers of all things gourmet, a piece of $95/lb cheese, or the well deserved bite of decadent chocolate.
While at it, you might just want to sign up for a cooking demo or a hands on cooking class. I really should sign up
This post is quickly and unintentionally becoming a post about the public market. The point is , I always find myself at The Spice House. Opening as many sample jars as I could without making the visit all about me rather than my friends as its suppose to be. And as usual, a new addition to my spice collection. Berbere an East African spice blend from Ethiopia and smoked Spanish paprika.
I was sold the moment I got a whiff . Sweet, Smoky, Strong, Subtle and Spicy notes all in one jar.
Chickpeas!
That was my first idea on what to make. I wanted something spicy and zesty with bold flavors. And this bowl definitely fulfilled my cravings. Beyond any doubts there will be other plans for this spice blend in the future. For now, this simple soup was all I needed.
Zesty East African Chickpea Stew w/ Tilapia
Ingredients
- 1 – 14 oz can organic gabanzo beans
- 1 – 14oz organic diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup diced sweet yellow onions
- 1 Tbsp. Berbere spice blend
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1/2 tsp. tumeric
- 2 dry bay leaves
- ~1/ 2 pound tilapia fillets (optional, season with a pinch of salt and black pepper)
Directions
- In a small bowl, mix tomato paste with 1 cup of water to form a creamy sauce. Then transfer to a medium sauce pan. Add in fire roasted tomatoes, another cup of water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile. rinse and peel garbanzo beans.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sauté onions for about 3 minutes or until translucent. Add in ALL dry spices except for bay leaves and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Then add in garbanzo beans, a little water and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer tomato mixture into skillet with garbanzo beans. Stir, add bay leaves and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes. ( Stop and serve here if you’re vegan).
- Add about 1/4 cup of water and stir. Carefully add tilapia fillets, cover and cook for another 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).
- Serve warm with bread.
Notes
You will notice there is no salt on the ingredient list. Reason being the berbere spice blend does contain salt. The canned fire roasted tomato is also another source of salt. Feel free to season with more salt to desired taste.
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