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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pulla attu / Sour Dosa

-
Image
This is one recipe that jogs my childhood memories. People from coastal Andhra especially from village background will for sure be familiar with this Pullattu. There are lot of versions of how to make this tasty dosa. I almost forgot about this item until one of our friend's mom made this for us for breakfast recently. I asked for the recipe from her and here I am posting it for you ..Special Thanks to aunty :) Ingredients For Batter 2 cups thick butter milk(majjiga) 2 cups rice 1 tsp methi seeds(menthulu) salt per taste For Dosa finely minced green chillies, chopped onions and minced cilantro Method For Batter Wash the rice. Soak rice and methi seeds in the buttermilk over night. Then in a mixer jar take rice, methi seeds, the buttermilk in which we soaked the rice, salt and grind to a smooth paste. The batter can be little thinner. Now take the batter into a bowl and leave it in a warm place to let it ferment overnight. Stick it in the refrigerator the next m
Read more

Andhra royyala vepudu/Andhra style Prawns(Shrimp) fry

-
Image
My version of shrimp/Prawn curry from my native place popularly known as royyala vepudu. This recipe brings back so many wonderful memories. This being one of my favorite foods and me being a very picky eater growing up, my mom used to give me more of this curry than my brother. Once I grew up, I was told if you leave your favorite food item in the name of god, your wish will come true. My wish came true and I gave up shrimp because this is hands down, the one food I love the most. Been 13 years I gave up Shrimp but still make the curry for hubby dear because this happens to be his favorite too.  Ingredients 3 cups finely chopped Onion Salt per taste(around 3 tsp) 1 tsp Turmeric  2 tsp Coriander powder 6 Green Chillies slit length wise 1 tsp Cumin seeds  3 tsp Ginger garlic 3 to 4 tsp Red chilli powder depending on your spice level 1 tsp Garam masala 3 tbsp Oil 3 tbsp ghee 10 to 15 pieces cashews Handful of Curry leaves, coriander leaves Marinati
Read more

Natu kodi koora/Country Chicken curry

-
Image
Country chicken is not your ordinary chicken. This is either 'you die for it' or 'do not even want to touch it' kind of dish. I most definitely will fall into the first category.. I love love love this dish. Growing up mom used to make this dish during Sankranti(Pongal) season and BOY OH BOY, it use to taste divine with Garelu. The best part of this dish is that we cook the chicken with skin on and trust me, it tastes the best that way. Now a days country chicken is available throughout the year and I do not have to wait for a particular season to eat it :). Here is my version of this yummy yummy recipe(actually version of my mom's recipe little bit improvised by me).  Ingredients 2 lbs country chicken 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder(adjust per spice level) 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 tsp garam masala powder Salt per taste Water 2 cups(adjust per the tenderness of the chicken) 1 tsp Turmeric 3 tbsp oil 3 tbs
Read more