Chickpea Leek Stew

My husband loves leeks so much that I always keep a few in the fridge just in case:)

Leeks have a mild oniony flavor, and are very delicate. They can get burned easily, so in the directions, I added water to help steam while sautéing. Leeks also tend to carry a lot of mud in between the layers, so the best way to clean them is to slice them first, then soak the circles in a bowl with plenty of water and all the dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Next, dry them in a salad spinner or with a clean kitchen towel. I store them wrapped in a paper towel in a ziplock bag in the fridge, and then I can use it for any of the recipes easily.

This recipe is fantastic! It is extremely flavorful, spicy, and comforting any day of the year.

My family loved it, especially to dip Challah Bread in the sauce!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups leeks, chopped (about 2 large leeks)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons turmeric root, grated

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped

2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced in half

1 hot pepper, chopped

3 cups cooked chickpeas

1 cup chickpeas cooking water

1 package of strained tomatoes, 26.46 oz / 750 g

2 tablespoons vegetable base

1 block of tempeh, cubed 8 oz / 227 g

3 bay leaves

+salt

+pepper

Topping:

Garnish with parsley or cilantro or both

Directions

Heat a cast-iron pot on medium heat and add olive oil and leeks, salt + pepper. Sauté for a few minutes and then add garlic and turmeric. Sauté for a few seconds and add a splash of water to release bits from the bottom of the pan and also to help steam the leeks. Add cumin and paprika, and stir. Add tomatoes, hot pepper, sugar snap peas, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Next, add chickpeas, the cooking water from the chickpeas, strained tomatoes, vegetable base, tempeh, and bay leaves. Mix. Lower the heat to simmer and let it cook for an hour or more with the lid on. Make sure to mix from time to time to ensure that nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Serve warm with your favorite bread to dip in the sauce.