A Trip to Istanbul Without the Flight: The Secret to Authentic Turkish Chickpea Stew

If you’re trying to eat healthy while preparing for the upcoming summer, some meals are just meant to be on your menu, including those coming from other countries.

For instance, this recipe for authentic Turkish chickpea stew will not only give you a completely new taste, but will also keep your figure safe from extra calories. Made with only chickpeas and vegetables, the stew is also very easy to make for dinner at home.

Ingredients: 1 cup of chickpeas, 350 ml of tomato juice, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon of sugar, black pepper to taste.

Wash the chickpeas thoroughly, cover them with water, and let them soak for a few hours or overnight to soften and speed up the cooking process. Then drain the water, cover them with fresh water, and boil the chickpeas until tender, after which lightly salt them.

While the chickpeas are cooking, dice the onion into small cubes and grate the carrots. Cook the vegetables in vegetable oil until tender and lightly golden, so that they release their aroma.

Add the tomato juice, salt, sugar, and pepper to the vegetables, stir, and let the sauce simmer for a bit so it becomes richer and thicker.

Put the cooked chickpeas into the pan, mix well with the vegetable sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 15–20 minutes to let the flavors blend.