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Chickpea & Spinach Curry (Chana Palak)

A healthy, easy-to-cook Indian chickpea and spinach curry. High in protein and fibre, perfect for a simple weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or mustard)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups tomato, chopped (or tomato puree)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
  • 400 g cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • 200 g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup water (or as needed)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Equipment

  • large pan or kadhai

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes soft and translucent (about 4-5 minutes).
  2. Add the grated ginger and minced garlic. Stir and sauté for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add chopped tomato (or tomato puree), turmeric, coriander, cumin and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes soften.
  4. Stir in the cooked chickpeas. Add about ½ cup water, mix and bring the curry to a gentle simmer.
  5. Once chickpeas are warmed through (about 5 minutes), add the chopped spinach. Stir until spinach wilts and mixes evenly into the curry (2–3 minutes).
  6. Season with salt. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice, roti or naan.

Notes

For a creamier version, add a splash of low-fat milk or coconut milk at the end. Leftovers store well for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. You can also double the recipe for meal prep.