The Stew - Test Recipe

Crush the chickpeas

Press a good third of them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. The released starch is the entire thickening mechanism — skip it and you have soup.

Season in layers

Roman salts at every stage. This version front-loads less, so taste before serving. If you are not using Diamond Crystal, start with a third less.

Simmer to your thickness

It starts soupy and tightens over about half an hour. Pull it early for brothy, push it longer for spoon-standing.

Full fat only

Light coconut milk splits and thins out. Two cans of the real thing is what makes the body.

Make ahead

Cook through the simmer, then stop. Add greens only when you reheat — they go grey and slack if they sit in the pot.

Keeping

Five days in the fridge, two months frozen. Thaw overnight, reheat gently, add a splash of stock to loosen.