Quick Chickpea Curry with Spinach (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main ingredients
01 -
2 tablespoons ghee or 1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower
02 -
1 large onion
03 -
1 1/2 tablespoons (20g) fresh ginger
04 -
4 garlic cloves
05 -
1 3/4 cups (400ml) crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
06 -
1 1/2 cups (250g) cooked chickpeas (or 1 15-oz can, drained)
07 -
3 cups (100g) baby spinach or frozen leaf spinach, thawed
→ Spice blend
08 -
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
09 -
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 -
1 teaspoon ground coriander
11 -
1 teaspoon garam masala
12 -
1/2-1 teaspoon hot chili powder (adjust to your heat preference)
13 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Instructions:
01 -
Dice the onion. Peel and finely mince the garlic and ginger, then use the flat side of your knife to press and smash them together to form a rough paste (or use a mortar and pestle if you have one).
02 -
Heat the ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
03 -
Add the garlic-ginger paste to the pan along with the turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and chili powder. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until very fragrant. If the spices start to stick, add a splash of water to prevent burning - this helps release all the flavors without scorching the spices.
04 -
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Stir in the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
# Notes:
01 -
This curry pairs perfectly with naan bread or basmati rice.
02 -
You can easily adjust the heat level by varying the amount of chili powder.