Chana Masala with Spinach
I think I’m supposed to tell you to not use canned beans and that you should be buying dried beans and doing the whole thing the “right way”. But man, who has time for that? I’m focused on my agenda to get you to cook Indian food, which I’ve gathered is intimidating, so I’m not going to make this more complicated and make you remember to soak beans the night before. If you’re an advanced bean-consumer and are already soaking, then great, more power to you. I, on the other hand, have a whole section of my cupboard that’s just canned beans and I’m not afraid to use them - chickpeas, kidney, cannelloni, and black beans. I live in Bean City and I’m the freaking Mayor.
Chickpeas are my go-to when I’m trying to cut back on meat. Canned beans cook very quickly (duh) and I serve them over rice or cauliflower rice. Like I do with a lot of lentil-focused dishes, I add in a few big handfuls of greens like spinach or chard for a well-rounded meal. This chana masala or curried chickpea dish is a weekly staple. It’s primarily a North Indian dish but it has spread inside and outside of India as a very popular vegetarian recipe. As long as you make an effort to cook the onions for a full 15 minutes and focus on the base, you’ll end up with great chana masala. My recipe is a pretty straightforward curry and if you like this with chickpeas, it also works great with white beans or red kidney beans (also called rajma).
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 black cardamon or 3 green cardamoms
small piece of whole cinnamon
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 serrano chili, sliced (optional)
1 plum tomato, diced
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
2-3 cups spinach leaves
lemon juice
salt to taste
Method
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once it’s shimmering, add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds. Infuse the oil with the whole spices for 1-2 mins.
Next, add the sliced onions and sprinkle a little salt. Lower the heat to medium and let the onions soften and cook down for 15 mins. Keep an eye on the onions and add a tablespoon of water if they start sticking to the pan. The end result should be soft and sweet onions.
Now add the grated ginger, garlic, tomato paste, and serrano chili, if using. Add another splash of water to loosen the mixture, mix well, and cook for another 5 mins or until the raw smell from the ginger and garlic is gone.
Next, add the tomato, chickpeas, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and curry powder. Mix everything well and toast the spices with the chickpeas for 2 mins. Then add 1/2 cup of water, season with salt, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10-12 mins to let the flavors come together.
Lastly, add the garam masala, spinach leaves, and about a tablespoon of lemon juice. Let the spinach leaves wilt, while still keeping them vibrant, for 1 min. Taste for salt and season as needed. Remove the chana masala from the heat and let it sit uncovered for 10 mins, then serve with rice!
