Description
Chana Saag is a flavorful Indian curry combining tender chickpeas and nutritious spinach simmered with a blend of aromatic spices. This hearty vegetarian dish features a creamy, spiced spinach sauce paired with chickpeas, perfect for serving with basmati rice or naan. It offers a wholesome, comforting meal that can be prepared using traditional stovetop methods or an Instant Pot for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpeas and Greens
- 3 cups chickpeas (cooked or canned)
- 12 ounces spinach (or other leafy greens like mustard or kale)
Vegetables
- 1 cup tomatoes (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
- 2 green chilies (or jalapeno for milder heat)
- 1/2 cup water (plus additional as needed)
Spices and Flavorings
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garlic (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Others
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp cashew cream (optional, for richness and creaminess)
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and chili base: Heat a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, chopped onions, grated ginger, garlic, and sliced green chilies. Cook until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add spices: Stir in turmeric powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for a short time to release the flavors. If the mixture seems too dry or is sticking, add a tablespoon of water to prevent burning.
- Cook the spinach: Add the finely chopped spinach to the pan and cook on medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until the spinach is wilted and cooked down with no visible water left. For other greens, cook longer as needed.
- Make the spinach paste: Remove the spinach mixture from heat and let it cool slightly. Then blend or mash it to your preferred coarse or smooth consistency and set aside.
- Cook the tomato and chickpea base: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes until softened. Add chickpeas and red chili powder. Pour in 1/2 cup water and simmer on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Combine spinach puree and chickpeas: Stir in the spinach paste to the chickpeas mixture. Adjust consistency by adding water if desired. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add creaminess (optional): For a richer, thicker texture, stir in cashew cream and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the Chana Saag hot with basmati rice or naan bread.
- Instant Pot method: Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies; sauté for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and all spice powders including red chili powder and salt, mixing well.
- Pressure cook chickpeas: Add cooked chickpeas and water. Deglaze the pot if needed. Close the lid and cook on manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Cook greens in Instant Pot: Open pot and turn to sauté mode. Add finely chopped spinach or other greens. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes (spinach) or 5 minutes (other greens) until thoroughly cooked. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Finish and serve: Mix well and serve the Instant Pot Chana Saag with rice or bread.
Notes
- You can replace spinach with other greens like mustard greens or kale; cooking times will vary.
- Traditional saag uses maize flour to thicken the sauce and give a porridge-like consistency; alternatively, cashew cream adds creaminess and richness.
- Adjust green chili quantity for desired heat level; jalapenos provide milder spice.
- This dish pairs well with basmati rice or Indian breads such as naan or roti.
- Use cooked or canned chickpeas to save time; if cooking from dry, soak overnight and cook until tender.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Chana Saag, Chickpeas curry, Spinach chickpea curry, Indian vegetarian curry, Healthy Indian recipe, Instant Pot chana saag, Spinach and chickpeas
