Chole Palak/Spinach-Chickepeas curry


 I was bit busy this weekend and did not grocery shop. All I had on hand was a bag of spinach leaves and canned chickpeas sitting on my counter.

Well I thought of incorporating both the ingredients into one dish and it turned out really well. And all it took me is good 30 minutes to finish this dish without breaking a sweat :)..

This might not be a traditional chole dish, No offense but it tasted even better than the original chole masala itself.

I served this dish with chapathi today and it was a instant hit with hubby dear. 

Give it a try and make sure you serve this curry with a side of sliced raw onions as raw onions made it taste even better.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients
1 15 oz can Garbanzo beans/Chicken Peas(Kabuli senagalu)
1 medium sized onion ground to fine paste
2 large tomatoes + 1 green chilli + 1 tsp ginger garlic paste - made to a fine paste
1 small bunch of spinach made to paste(Add more or less per your taste and amount of gravy)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice (Juice of 1/2 lemon)
2 tbsp oil
Salt for taste
Tempering
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
4 or 5 cloves
Pinch of nutmeg powder(Optional)
1/2 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of Hing/Astefodia(inguva)
4 to 5 curry leaves
Method
Chop the onions roughly and grind to a smooth paste and keep aside. Take the tomatoes, green chilli and ginger garlic paste in a blender/mixer jar and blend to a smooth paste and keep aside. Roughly tear the spinach and make to a smooth paste adding little bit of water and set aside.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Add in the tempering and let them splutter. Add in the onion paste, salt and fry till the raw smell disappears and the mixture turns pale brown in color.
Add in the tomato puree, close the lid and cook for 7 to 10 minutes till the oil oozes out.
Add in the spinach puree and 1/2 cup of water, give it a good stir, and cover the lid. Cook till the spinach color turns pale green and raw smell is gone, approximately for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Now stir in red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Let it cook for another minute or 2 to let the spice powders incorporate into the gravy.
Now add in the chick peas. Give a gentle stir. Add in the lemon juice and close the lid. Cook for 2 minutes till the gravy reaches the required consistency.
Sprinkle the garam masala, give it a good stir and turn off the heat.
Serve with Indian bread items or rice and sliced raw onion on the side.
Note
If you have raw kabuli chana on hand, soak 1 cup of chana in water for 8 hours. Pressure cook the soaked chana for upto 5 to 6 whistles. Add couple of tea bags while pressure cooking to make the chana dal soft and to get the best taste, natural color and aroma out of chana dal. Rest of the recipe is the same.
Spices can always be adjusted per your spice level.
Eating with a side of raw onions make this dish taste even better.

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