Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1.5 cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups water
For the Curry
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp curry powder (hot or mild)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 lb frozen chopped spinach
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 (13 oz) can coconut milk
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Place the long grain white rice and 3 cups of water in a sauce pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After cooking, turn off the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed with the lid on for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
- Prepare the Aromatics: While the rice cooks, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, sautéing for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Meanwhile, dice the tomato.
- Add Spices and Tomato: Stir in the curry powder and ground cumin to the skillet and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices. Add the diced tomato and 3/4 tsp salt, cooking for another 5 minutes or until the tomato breaks down and creates a saucy base.
- Simmer Chickpeas and Spinach: Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to the skillet along with frozen spinach and 1/2 cup water. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors thoroughly.
- Add Coconut Milk: Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the coconut milk. Heat through gently, or simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to purée some of the mixture, keeping some chunks if preferred. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy chana saag curry over bowls of the freshly cooked rice and enjoy a warm, flavorful meal that blends traditional Indian spices with the earthy goodness of spinach and chickpeas.
Notes
- Use either hot or mild curry powder depending on your spice preference.
- Frozen spinach works well, but fresh can be substituted if available—just cook it down first.
- For a thicker curry, simmer longer after adding coconut milk.
- Rinsing chickpeas reduces sodium and removes canning liquid taste.
- An immersion blender can be used to partially purée for a creamier texture without losing all the chunky bits.
- Serve with naan or roti for a more complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
