Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk

Chickpeas cooked with spinach and enriched with creamy coconut milk - doesn’t that sound fabulous? Why not? At Nava’s Zen, spinach is one of the many things we grow. Different varieties thrive here, and some even sprout up unexpectedly, much to my surprise.

 

This dish, known as Chole Palak in India, isn’t something I often see prepared in Indian households in Malaysia - curious, isn’t it? No matter. Here, Ms. Nava is delighted to share her version of this recipe. It’s vegetarian, vegan, and oh-so-luscious, creamy, aromatic, and absolutely delicious.

Chole Palak/ Spinach & Chickpea Curry

Ingredients
1 medium-sized tomato, sliced
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Water as needed

For the Curry Paste
1/2 tbsp plain chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
A little garam masala
Mix these ingredients with some water to form a thick paste

Method

Heat oil in a pan.
Sauté ginger paste and garlic paste until fragrant.
Add the curry paste.
Cook and stir until aromatic and the oil starts to separate.

Add the sliced tomato and stir.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water.
Add the spinach.
Stir and cook until the spinach is softened or mushy.

Tip in the chickpeas (without the liquid).
Season with salt.
Pour in the coconut milk.

Stir and simmer until everything is heated through.
Remove from heat and mix in the fenugreek leaves.

Alternative Option: Spicy Vegetarian Beans

If you want to try something different, you can use canned baked beans instead of chickpeas. This simple style of cooking can be easily adapted. Replace basil leaves with the dried fenugreek leaves you already bought for Chole Palak, and use them for this spicy vegetarian beans dish. Watch the attached video for detailed instructions.