Chana Saag Masala (Chickpea and Spinach Curry)
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion
- 5 cloves (25 g) garlic
- 5 cm (25 g) ginger
- 2 fresh green chilies*
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes or 300g ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 2 15-oz cans (625 g drained weight) chickpeas** liquid reserved
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 5 oz (or 3-4 large handfuls) baby spinach or chopped spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice about ½ lemon freshly squeezed
- optional: handful cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Finely chop the onions and add them to the pan, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes until softened and slightly browned.
- Meanwhile, crush the garlic into fine pieces and grate the ginger. Chop the chilies, discarding the cap but keeping the seeds.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chilies to the browned onions and continue sauteing another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, and turmeric, then saute another 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes, chickpeas, reserved chickpea liquid (or 300 ml water), and salt, then bring everything to a simmer.
- Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stir in the spinach, a handful at a time to wilt it in, cook another 5-7 minutes, then add the Garam masala, lemon juice, and cilantro leaves (if using). Add a little more salt and/or additional heat in the form of cayenne pepper to taste. Serve.
Notes
*If you don't have fresh green chilies, use ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, a couple jalapeno peppers, or another heat source of your choice.
**If you prepare to cook your chickpeas from scratch, start with 250 g of dried chickpeas, soak them in cold water overnight, then drain them. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil, add the chickpeas, and cook at a simmer over medium heat for 45-60 minutes until soft but not falling apart. Reserve a little cooking liquid, drain the rest, and proceed as instructed.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1123mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3850IU | Vitamin C: 17.6mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3.9mg