Description
Saag Chana is a hearty and nutritious North Indian dish made with chickpeas (chana) simmered in a flavorful spinach (saag) gravy, seasoned with traditional Indian spices.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 2 green chilies, chopped (optional)
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
- Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and sauté for another minute.
- Stir in coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted (or warmed through if using frozen spinach).
- Transfer spinach mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pan. (Optional for smoother texture.)
- Add chickpeas, salt, and water or broth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in garam masala and lemon juice before serving.
Notes
- Use kale or mustard greens along with spinach for a more complex saag flavor.
- For creamier texture, stir in a tablespoon of coconut milk or cream at the end.
- Serve with basmati rice or flatbread like roti or naan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg