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–+ servings
chickpea and spinach

Sooka kala channa sabji

Chickpea and spinach curry
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Course Main Dish, sidedish, Soups and salad
Cuisine Autumn, diabetic friendly, Fusion, gluten free, Indian, Pressure cooker, Spring, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the cooked chickpeas

  • 2 cups chickpea ( dry, brown variety)
  • 6-8 cups drinking water
  • 1/2 tsp salt

for the tempering

  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1-2 dry red chilli
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger root ( minced)

for the masala

  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (use cayanne if heat is desired)
  • 1/4 tsp amchur
  • 1/4 tsp chaat masala
  • 1/4 tsp black salt ( this enhances the flavour of the dry sabji, omit if difficult to procure)
  • 2-3 cups Spinach ( I have used malabar spinach)
  • salt to taste ( check before adding)

for the garnish

  • 1-2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves ( finely chopped)

Instructions
 

For the chickpeas to cook.

  • This section of steps can be omitted if you are using a can of cooked chickpeas as I am starting with the dry beans.
  • Wash, pick stones if any and soak the chickpeas for 6 hours.
  • Once the chickpeas are plump, drain the water they are soaking in.
  • Add the chickpeas to the pressure cooker and add water just enough to cover it. Add the salt and pressure cook for 3-5 whistles
  • Once done, release pressure naturally.
  • Drain the cooking liquid, reserve half a cup of it for the recipe and use the rest as in the footnotes below.

for the sabji

  • Wash and finely chop the spinach and mince the ginger.
    prep for curry
  • In a pan add the oil and as it heats up add the cumin, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. when the cumin sizzles, add the ginger mince and saute
  • Now add the drained chickpeas followed by the masalas, but hold off the salt. and spinach.
  • Mix well and now if the chickpeas are too dry add a tbsp at a time of the cooking liquid till there is no dryness.
  • Stir in the spinach and saute for 3-5 minutes on low heat
  • Once the spinach is wilted taste test for salt and the balance of the spices. If desired add salt.
  • saute again and add the lemon juice and coriander leaves
  • Remove from heat and keep covered for two minutes.
  • Now the recipe is ready to serve.
    chickpea and spinach

Notes

For this recipe, I have used Malabar spinach. English spinach, Kale, Palak, Arukeerai and chinese spinach also work perfectly with this recipe and I have tried them all.
The drained liquid from the cooked dark chickpeas can be used to knead the dough or as a soup base. It has not worked so well as aquafaba for baking. I prefer the one from the white channa as aquafaba.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!