Chole Palak

This is adapted from the adorably delicious website, Manjula's Kitchen.

This is best served with an Indian flatbread, such as naan, roti, or a paratha.

Ingredients

1 15oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
3 cups finely chopped spinach
2 medium tomatoes
1/2″ piece ginger, peeled
1 green chili (I could only find a jalapeno, which was fine)
3 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red pepper or chili powder(to your liking)
1/2 teaspoon salt (to your liking)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala


Directions

Drain the liquid out of the chickpeas and rince the chickpeas well.

In a food processor, 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, the oil is ready.)Add the cumin seeds to the hot oil in the saucepan.

After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat. The tomato mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half.

Add spinach, salt, and one half cup of water to the saucepan and let it cook covered for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the chickpeas and mash them lightly with a spatula so they soften and combine with the sauce. 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. Serve hot with suggested Indian bread. (I also served it with a healthy spoonful of my G-ma's Apple Chutney.) Yum!