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Heavy-bottomed cooking pot
Steady heat helps rice, dal and slow-simmered sauces cook evenly without catching on the base.
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Plant-based Indian recipes, made authentically
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Vegan Masala Recipe
Palak chole combines hearty chickpeas with a vivid spinach masala, balancing earthy greens, tomato and warming spice. It is nourishing, full-flavoured and excellent with rice or roti.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
From the kitchen
Spinach gives this curry freshness as well as body. Cook it just enough to lose its rawness, then blend to the texture you enjoy before letting the chickpeas simmer in the green gravy.
Serving idea
Serve with phulka, naan or plain rice, with sliced onion and lemon on the side.
Useful equipment
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Vegan Masala recommends
Steady heat helps rice, dal and slow-simmered sauces cook evenly without catching on the base.
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Vegan Masala recommends
Freshly ground whole spices give masalas a brighter aroma than long-opened ground spices.
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Cook the recipe
Drain and rinse 1 tin chickpeas and set them aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, finely chopped, and cook until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in 4 garlic cloves, minced, 1 inch ginger, grated, and 2 green chillies, finely chopped. Cook for a minute until the raw smell eases.
Add 1 medium tomato, chopped, and cook until it breaks down and the masala looks glossy and the oil begins to show at the edges.
Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring so the spices do not catch.
Add 200 g spinach, chopped, and cook until wilted and well mixed through the masala.
Stir in 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and 1 cup water. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the gravy thickens.
Mash a small handful of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to give the curry more body.
Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp amchur (dry mango powder), and 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves.
Taste and adjust salt or amchur if needed, then serve hot.
Gather everything first
A few useful notes
Topic hub
Browse the curated curry hub for related chickpea, dal, potato, tofu and vegetable recipes in one place.
Visit the curry hubTopic hub
Browse the dal hub for classic dal recipes, lentil curries, and bean-based Indian curries in one place.
Visit the dal hub
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