Saffron Chickpea Stew

Directions

1. 1
   Place pre-soaked chickpeas in a large pot and cover with water, bring up to a heavy simmer and cook for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to keep them covered. Note: If you're using canned chickpeas you do not need to do this, they can be added directly to the vegetables as mentioned in step 4.
2. 2
   Meanwhile, in a smaller pot, crumble a large pinch of saffron into 3 cups of stock (or water) and bring to heat. Allow to the saffron to steep in the hot (but not boiling) stock/water for at least 15 minutes.
3. 3
   While the chickpeas are cooking, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the carrot and paprika and cook until the paprika is fragrant, 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat until chickpeas are ready to be added.
4. 4
   Once the chickpeas are nearly tender but still have a slight texture in the middle (about 45-60 minutes) they can be strained (reserve their cooking water) and added to the saute pan with the vegetables. Pour the saffron stock/water overtop and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until chickpeas are cooked through. Note: Add a small amount of leftover chickpea cooking water if needed/desired to keep the stew on the soupier side.
5. 5
   Stir 2 tablespoons of mint and the chopped kale into the stew, season well with salt and pepper, and cover for about 2 minutes more. Dish the stew into four large bowls and top with the remaining mint and a dollop of plain yogurt. Serve hot.