Chole Palak (Chickpeas With Spinach)
July 7th, 2009 filed under Dal (Lentils), Subji (Vegetables), Vegan
Chickpeas and spinach is a great combination and a healthy, protein rich dish. Chickpeas immersed with spicy spinach gravy. This dish can be served with roti, naan or any other bread.
Recipe will serve 2 to 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 15oz can of chickpea (chole, garbanzo)
- 3 cups finely chopped spinach (palak)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/2″piece ginger (adrak)
- 1 green chili
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Method:
- Drain the liquid out of the chickpeas and rince the chick peas well.
- Blend the tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger to make a puree.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
- Add the asafetida and cumin seeds.
- After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
- Tomato mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.
- Add spinach, and salt and one half cup of water and let it cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat covered.
- Add the chickpeas and mash them lightly with a spatula so they soften Note: add more water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking, and let it cook on low heat for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garam masala and let it cook for another minute.
I had some leftover frozen spinach that I had to use somehow and I thought about this recipe. I just put in all the spinach I had, which not necessarily was a good idea. What I ended up with, was a sea of green with little islands of chickpeas. To be honest, I braced myself for the worst. But you know what? It was awesome! Thank you a lot for this recipe!
Manjula
Thanks for the lovely recipe. I am eating it now! I have a small confession to make though- I am growing spinach, kale and rainbow chard plants in my garden and have been looking for a recipe to use them up. The older plants are getting a bitter taste and I was hoping that some Indian cuisine could handle the strong flavours. I have just cooked the recipe replacing half the spinach with some chard and kale and it has come out beautifully.
I hope you do not mind me fiddling with the recipe.
hi, manjula aunty
can u explain me •1 15oz can of chickpea means 250 gms. or how much cup of chickpea
Hi Manjula,
I have noticed in a lot of recipies like chole palak, aloo dum etc. ; you never use onions. Generally they are an integral part of indian cuisine.
Any specific reason?
Thanks
Many Indians don’t use onions or garlic at all and Jains are among them. It’s common probably more in Indian restaurants, but in many Indian homes they are not used in cooking. Asafetida (or hing) is used to give a similar pop of flavor that you would otherwise get from onion.
I beg to differ. As RD mentioned, onions and garlic are very much part of my cooking essentials. Even when some recipes may not use them, I will still add them- esp onions accordingly.
hello manjula aunty
i want to serve this chole palak for 50 members.so can i use chole that we can soak overnight,n cook it.instad of canned ones.that works little inexpensive.pls give me your suggestion.
Hello Madhu,
I will do the same.
Hi there! The recipe sounds great but I just had a quick question. Can I substitute the fresh spinach for frozen spinach?
If so, do I need to make any amendments to the quantity? I’m a beginner cook so your answer would be really appreciated!
Thank you
Hello KK, Use chopped frozen spinach will work fine.
Thank u for the recipe it was awesome
[...] comes from Manjula’s Kitchen and I’ll leave you to find the recipe and video there. About the only change I made is the one [...]
Greetings Manjula Aunty,
I just tried the Chole Palak last night. I made it exactly according to the recipe and video (required a trip to the Indian grocery store!), and it came out absolutely PERFECT!! It was actually BETTER than the (very good) Chole Palak at the local fine Indian restaurant. (Not to mention, of course, that I made it for only a fraction of the cost.)
I’ve been watching your videos for months, and I FINALLY got around to trying a recipe, my favorite, chole palak. It’s amazing how quickly, easily, and cheaply I can make a dish at home I’d been spending a fortune for at the Indian restaurant. I’ll be trying more recipes in the near future.
Question: how do you store your hing? I closed my container and placed it in a sealed Zip-Loc bag, and its aroma still permeates the whole cupboard. Any advice?
Store your Hing (Asafoetida) in a screw-top glass bottle….
Hello,
First off, thank you for great recipes. I am trying to perfect this dish! Mine does not come out very sausey. It’s a little on the dry side. What can I do to improve?