Chole palak recipe | Chana palak | Chickpea and spinach curry

Chole palak recipe aka chana palak is a healthy and delectable way to include greens and fibre into your meals. It is a comforting and flavourful curry where boiled chickpea and spinach is cooked in spicy onion-tomato gravy. This healthy chickpea and spinach curry can be paired up with rice items like plain rice, pulao and even with flat bread.It could be a great addition to the lunchbox with a pair of chapatis or parathas for office days.

About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
Health Benefits of Spinach
How to make Chole Palak (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Chole palak aka chana palak is a hindi name where ‘chole or chana’ stands for ‘chickpea’ and ‘palak’ stands for ‘spinach’. Chana palak is a very healthy, comforting and flavourful Indian chickpea curry. Chana masala is considered as one of the most comforting chickpea curries in northern India and this chole palak recipe is a healthy variation of the recipe. In this preparation, boiled chickpea is cooked with chopped spinach with onion, ginger-garlic, tomato puree, yogurt and some spices. It is mostly relished with rice or flat bread.

Though there is no fixed rule to prepare palak chole ki sabji but it is mostly prepared in two different ways.

• Chana palak dry
• Chana palak with gravy

Chana palak dry aka chole palak dry recipe is a spicy flavourful dry curry which is mostly accompanied with rotis, chapatis and parathas. This dry curry can even be prepared with kala chana aka black chickpea or with dried white, yellow or green pea. You can check my kala chana palak recipe which I had already shared before.

Chana palak with gravy is prepared in myriad ways in different houses using different combination of spices and other ingredients. Other than this it is prepared in two different ways.

• With chopped spinach leaves
• With spinach puree

Today, I am going to share the first version, I mean chole palak recipe with chopped spinach leaves with you.

During my childhood days, palak curry recipe was considered as winter delicacy because fresh spinach leaves were only available in winter season during those days. But now a day’s spinach or palak is easily available throughout the year.

We all know the benefits of consuming green leafy vegetables, but it is always very tough to add these healthy stuffs to our kids’ diet. Kids love chole and chole palak recipe could be a great option to add spinach to kids’ regular diet. It is totally a kids’ friendly recipe and you can even prepare it by skipping chillies too. This chana palak gets prepared very quickly and can be a good option for your kids’ lunch box with a pair of chapatis.

I had tasted this healthy delight for the first time in one of my Punjabi colleague’s house and I just loved the way they added spinach into the chole recipe. After that, I have prepared this awesome palak chana myriad times and it’s a huge hit in our house.

Chole palak recipe is a very simple and easy to make recipe. The difficulty level of cooking this recipe is low and preferable for beginners. All the ingredients required to prepare the dish is very easily available in any Indian Kitchen pantry. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared very quickly without investing much time.

Chole palak recipe step by step with photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. If you follow the steps carefully then you will surely get perfect and flavourful Palak chana. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and the hero ingredients of the recipe ‘Spinach’ and ‘Chickpea’.

• First wash the chickpeas and soaked them in enough water for at least 8 hours. For perfect cooking, it is very important to soak the chickpea properly.
• Pressure cook the soaked chickpea for 2-3 whistles till al dente. Don’t overcook or else the chole palak will become mushy.
• If you are running out of time, then you can use canned chickpea for the recipe.After opening the can, just discard the water and rinse it once before use.
• Don’t skip the whole spices and kasuri methi from the recipe. It induces nice aroma to the dish.
• Always add a little bit of flour or besan into the yogurt and mix it vigorously before adding into the curry. It resists the yogurt to curdle.
• The consistency of the chole palak recipe is neither too thick nor too runny. So, add water for the gravy accordingly.

• The nutrients present in spinach helps to control our blood sugar level, blood pressure level and cholesterol level.
• The folic acid present in spinach are extremely beneficial for pregnant women.
• Spinach is low in carb and full of fibre. They are extremely good for our digestive system and helps to get rid of constipation.
• They are great source of vitamins and minerals. The vitamin C present in spinach makes our skin healthy and glowing.
• Any leafy greens like Spinach are very beneficial for our eyesight too. The high level of chlorophyll present in Spinach is great for our vision.

• They are full of fibre which is good for our digestive system.
• Chickpeas help to control many chronic diseases.
• The protein and fibre present in chickpeas help to control blood sugar.
• They are high in protein and low in calories which is excellent for weight loss.
• It helps to control our appetite.
• Chickpeas are powerhouse of nutrients. It contains iron, folate, copper, manganese and many other nutrients.

To prepare the chana chaat recipe, first wash the chickpeas and soak them in enough water for 8 hours. I prefer to soak it for overnight. Then drain the water and wash it once again. Pressure cook the chickpeas in salted water for up to 2-3 whistles and then allow it to release its pressure. Then drain the chickpea and keep it aside for the recipe.

On the other hand, wash the palak or spinach in running water and finely chopped them. Keep it aside.

Then take yogurt into a bowl and add some all-purpose flour into it. Whisk the yogurt thoroughly with a fork and keep it aside.

Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add oil into the pan and once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, dried red chilli, hing into the pan for tempering and allow them to crackle.

Add chopped garlic into the pan and cook them till golden in colour. Then add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.

Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato puree into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil. I have used readymade tomato puree for the recipe.

Add cumin powder, coriander powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for another 1-2 minutes.Then add the yogurt mixture into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.

Then add the chopped spinach into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes until it releases moisture.

Now add the boiled and drained chickpea into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.

Add water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Add green chillies into the pan. Cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.

Add garam masala powder, kasuri methi aka dried fenugreek leaves into the pan and give a nice mix.Cook it in high flame for few seconds and the switch off the flame.

Many palak recipes have already been shared in my previous post. You can check few of them like

Aloo palak ki sabji
Palak curry
Kala chana palak
Toor dal palak

..And Many more…

1 cup = 250ml

• 1 cup Chickpea or 2 X 400 grams canned Chickpea
• 300 grams Spinach, chopped
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 2-3 green Chillies
• ½ cup Tomato puree, readymade or homemade
• ¼ cup Yogurt
• ½ teaspoon all-purpose Flour or wheat Flour
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 dry red Chilli
• ½ teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• ½ tablespoon Kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• Salt to taste
• 1½ cups Water for gravy
• 3 tablespoons Oil for cooking

1. If you are not using canned chickpea then wash the chickpeas and soak them in enough water for 8 hours. I prefer to soak it for overnight. I have added 2½ cups of water for 1 cup chickpeas.
2. Rinse the chickpeas once more and transfer them into a cooker.
3. Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt into the cooker and give a nice stir. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it in medium flame till 2-3 whistles.Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to settle down.
4. Drain the water from the boiled chickpeas and keep them aside.
5. Wash the spinach thoroughly under the running water and strain the excess water. Finely chop the spinach and keep them aside.
6. On the other hand, take ¼ cup yogurt into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour or wheat flour into it. Whisk the yogurt thoroughly with a fork. Make sure there are no lumps. Keep it aside.
7. Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons oil into the pan.
8. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 1 dried red chilli, ½ teaspoon hing, one by one into the pan for tempering and allow them to crackle.
9. Add chopped garlic into the pan and cook them till golden in colour.
10. Add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
11. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
12. Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
13. Add the ½ cup tomato puree into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil.
14. Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for another 1-2 minutes.
15. Add the yogurt mixture (Step 6) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.
16. Now add the chopped spinach (Step 5) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes until it releases moisture.
17. Now add the boiled and drained chickpea (Step 4) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.
18. Add 1½ cups water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir.
19. Add 2-3 green chillies into the pan. Put the flame high and cook it until the gravy starts boiling. Then cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.
20. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ tablespoon kasuri methi aka dried fenugreek leaves into the pan and give a nice mix.
21. Cook it in high flame for few seconds and the switch off the flame.

Transfer the chole palak recipe into a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the succulent dish with your favourite Rice item or flat bread and enjoy the north Indian delicacy.

Chole palak recipe | Chana palak | Chickpea and spinach curry

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 4.7/5

( 3 voted )

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Ingredients

1 cup = 250ml

• 1 cup Chickpea or 2 X 400 grams canned Chickpea
• 300 grams Spinach, chopped
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 2-3 green Chillies
• ½ cup Tomato puree, readymade or homemade
• ¼ cup Yogurt
• ½ teaspoon all-purpose Flour or wheat Flour
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 dry red Chilli
• ½ teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• ½ tablespoon Kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• Salt to taste
• 1½ cups Water for gravy
• 3 tablespoons Oil for cooking

Instructions

1. If you are not using canned chickpea then wash the chickpeas and soak them in enough water for 8 hours. I prefer to soak it for overnight. I have added 2½ cups of water for 1 cup chickpeas.
2. Rinse the chickpeas once more and transfer them into a cooker.
3. Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt into the cooker and give a nice stir. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it in medium flame till 2-3 whistles. Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to settle down.
4. Drain the water from the boiled chickpeas and keep them aside.
5. Wash the spinach thoroughly under the running water and strain the excess water. Finely chop the spinach and keep them aside.
6. On the other hand, take ¼ cup yogurt into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour or wheat flour into it. Whisk the yogurt thoroughly with a fork. Make sure there are no lumps. Keep it aside.
7. Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons oil into the pan.
8. Once the oil is hot, add½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 1 dried red chilli, ½ teaspoon hing, one by one into the pan for tempering and allow them to crackle.
9. Add chopped garlic into the pan and cook them till golden in colour.
10. Add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
11. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
12. Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
13. Add the ½ cup tomato puree into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another 4-5 minutes until the masala releases oil.
14. Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for another 1-2 minutes.
15. Add the yogurt mixture (Step 6) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.
16. Now add the chopped spinach (Step 5) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes until it releases moisture.
17. Now add the boiled and drained chickpea (Step 4) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.
18. Add 1½ cups water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir.
19. Add 2-3 green chillies into the pan. Put the flame high and cook it until the gravy starts boiling. Then cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5 minutes.
20. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ tablespoon kasuri methi aka dried fenugreek leaves into the pan and give a nice mix.
21. Cook it in high flame for few seconds and the switch off the flame.

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