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Saag chana masala

Name: Saag chana masala
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: dried white chickpeas 350g; dried red chillies 3; vegetable oil 6 tbsp; onion 1 large, sliced; garlic 6 cloves, crushed; ginger finely grated to make 2 tbsp; green chilli 1, broken in half; cumin seeds 1 tsp, toasted and crushed; ground coriander 1 tbsp; mild chilli powder 1 tsp; tomato purée 4 tbsp; garam masala ½ tsp; amchoor (dried mango) powder 2 tsp; baby spinach 500g

1 hour 45 minutes + Soaking
Serves 4-6 as a side or sharing main
Easy

Green and red chillies elevate this spinach and chickpea curry, the perfect veggie Indian side dish from Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express

By Asma Khan

Published: March 24, 2021 at 11:03 am

Make this saag chana masala, then check out our chana masala, saag aloo, chicken saag and more easy curry recipes.

Ingredients

dried white chickpeas 350g
dried red chillies 3
vegetable oil 6 tbsp
onion 1 large, sliced
garlic 6 cloves, crushed
ginger finely grated to make 2 tbsp
green chilli 1, broken in half
cumin seeds 1 tsp, toasted and crushed
ground coriander 1 tbsp
mild chilli powder 1 tsp
tomato purée 4 tbsp
garam masala ½ tsp
amchoor (dried mango) powder 2 tsp
baby spinach 500g

Method

Step 1

Rinse the chickpeas under cold running water in a colander. Tip into a large bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Step 2

Drain the chickpeas, tip into a pan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil, add the dried chillies, cover and simmer for 1 hour until the chickpeas are soft (depending on the type of chickpeas, this could take up to 2 hours). Drain the chickpeas and chillies, and set aside.
Step 3

Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 15 minutes until deep brown. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli, and stir for 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, chilli powder, tomato purée and 500ml of warm water. Return the chickpeas and dried chillies to the pan, along with 1 tsp of fine sea salt.
Step 4

Simmer the mixture until the liquid has reduced, is thick and clinging to the chickpeas. Add the garam masala and amchoor powder, and continue to cook until the oil rises to the surface and the chickpeas are glistening. Add the spinach, stir and remove from the heat. Season and serve.