Here’s a warming winter-vegetable recipe with a bite! I’ve been working it on all winter. You know, just in time for spring … On the bright side, it’s not sakura-flavored and isn’t a doughnut!

Japan notes: Save this one for when you have orange sweet potatoes! I usually found them in winter in M’Za and some of the depachika. Cauliflower is in season in winter and spring, and chickpeas (hiyokomame, ひよこ豆) can be found in import stores, gourmet stores, and in some bigger supermarkets. (Marue stores in Kanazawa started carrying them in 2013.) I have used both dried peppers and fresh peppers, and both work well.

Sweet Potato Stew with Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Curry Powder

Time: 40 min
Prep: ~15 min (excluding chickpeas)
Cooking: ~25 minutes

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (2006) “Curried Chickpeas with Vegetables”
Serves 6.

Preparation
1. Cook the chickpeas. I used my slow cooker, but you can cook them on the stove just as well.

2. Chop all the ingredients as directed below before starting.

Ingredients
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil (orîbu oiru, オリーブオイル)
2 tsp cumin seeds (kumin no mi, クミンの実) or ~1 tsp ground cumin (kumin, クミン)
1 TBSP fresh ginger, peeled and minced (shôga, ショウガ, 生姜)
3 cloves garlic, minced (ninniku, ニンニク)
2 tsp curry powder (karê kona, カレー粉)
1.75 cups (290 g) cooked chickpeas (hiyokomame, ひよこ豆)
3 cups (~250 g) cauliflower florets (karifurawâ, カリフラワー)
3 cups (~300 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (annôimo, 安納芋)
2 cups (475 mL) vegetable stock (yasai consome, 野菜コンソメ)
Salt (shio, 塩) and pepper (koshô, 胡椒) to taste

1 cup (240 mL) plain yogurt (yôguruto, ヨーグルト)
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeño OR 1-2 dried red peppers (aka togarashi, 赤唐辛子)
4 TBSP (~40 g) chopped peanuts (pînatsu, ピーナツ) or chunky peanut butter (pînatsu battâ, ピーナツバッター)

Equipment
1 large skillet with lid
Optional: food processor (fûdo purosessa, フードプロセッサ)

Procedure
1. Heat the oil and cumin seeds in the skillet over low heat.
2. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for ~1 minute, avoiding browning.
3. Stir in curry powder and cook for another minute.
4. Add the chickpeas, cauliflower, sweet potato, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper.
5. Cover and cover for ~15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
6. Either process yogurt, flour, pepper, and peanuts in food processor; or stir all in bowl together. (This may smell kind of gross.)
7. When the vegetables are tender, turn the heat to low and stir in the yogurt mixture to heat through. Serve hot.