Palak Chana Dal

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 190 g chickpeas, peeled and halved
• 850 ml water
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 100 g onion(s), finely diced
• 30 g ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 250 g diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ tsp coriander, ground
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, or 1 tsp mango powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 125 g spinach, roughly chopped
• Salt
• 125 ml coconut milk
• 4 tbsp yogurt
• some coriander, chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 55 minutes

Indian vegetarian dish with chickpeas and spinach

Wash the chickpeas thoroughly and soak them in water for one hour. Meanwhile, finely grate the garlic and ginger if possible, dice them very finely, or pound them in a mortar and pestle until they form a paste. Mix both. Prepare the remaining ingredients. Then drain the chickpeas and rinse if necessary. Drain. Place the chickpeas in a pressure cooker along with 850 ml water and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric. Close the pressure cooker and bring to a boil on high. As soon as steam escapes through the vent, reduce the heat and simmer for 13 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool. You can also prepare it in a regular saucepan. To do this, increase the amount of water to about 1 liter and simmer for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are tender. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry briefly until small bubbles form. Add the onions and fry until golden. Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry briefly. As soon as the typical aroma develops, add the chopped tomatoes. Immediately afterwards, add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 3/2 teaspoon of coriander, 1 teaspoon of garam masala and 1 teaspoon of mango powder. If using lemon juice, add it later when seasoning. Cook the mixture while stirring until the tomatoes are soft and oil has started to settle on the sides of the pan. This step is particularly important as it allows the aromas of the spices to fully develop. Now add the cooked chickpeas. Add the spinach and stir. If the curry is too thick, add a little water if necessary. Now add 125 ml of coconut milk and the lemon juice. Season with salt. Add more lemon juice if necessary. Simmer for at least 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Serve with rice and garnish with coriander leaves and yogurt.