Black chickpeas (kala chana) cooked in a spinach-onion-tomato gravy. Kala chana holds its shape better than white chickpeas and has a nuttier, earthier flavor that pairs well with the iron-forward bite of spinach. The spinach is blanched and blended rather than cooked down into the masala — this keeps the color bright green rather than the dull army green you get when spinach is simmered too long.
Ingredients
Chana
- 1 cup (200g) kala chana (black chickpeas), soaked overnight
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Water for pressure cooking
Spinach
- 300g fresh spinach (or 200g frozen, thawed and squeezed)
- Water for blanching
Masala
- 3 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (for color)
- ½–1 tsp red chilli powder (for heat), adjust to taste
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp garam masala (added at the end)
Finish
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp cream or yogurt (optional — adds richness)
Instructions
Cook the chana
- Drain soaked chana and pressure cook with 3 cups water, salt, and turmeric for 5–6 whistles until completely tender. The chana should yield easily when pressed but hold its shape. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Blanch the spinach
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add spinach and blanch for 60–90 seconds — just until wilted and bright green.
- Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and preserve color.
- Drain well, squeeze out excess water firmly. Blend to a smooth purée with 2–3 tbsp water. Set aside.
Build the masala
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 15 seconds.
- Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 12–15 minutes until deep golden. Don't rush — properly caramelized onions are the backbone of the gravy.
- Add ginger garlic paste, stir continuously for 1–2 minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 8–10 minutes until completely broken down and oil begins to separate.
- Add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, and red chilli powder. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
Combine
- Add cooked chana to the masala. Stir well to coat. Cook for 5 minutes to let the chana absorb the masala flavors.
- Add spinach purée and stir to combine. Add reserved chana cooking liquid to adjust consistency — the gravy should be thick enough to coat the chana, not watery.
- Simmer on low heat for 8–10 minutes. The spinach and masala will come together and the color will deepen slightly.
- Add garam masala, lemon juice, and cream/yogurt if using. Stir through. Taste and adjust salt.
Storage
- Fridge: Up to 4 days. The color will dull slightly but the flavor deepens.
- Reheat: Gentle heat with a splash of water.
- Freeze: Freezes well for up to 2 months — freeze before adding cream/yogurt.
Variations
- With white chickpeas: Use kabuli chana (white chickpeas) instead — softer texture, milder flavor, slightly less cooking time.
- Richer version: Add 2 tbsp cream at the end and a knob of butter off heat.
- Dry version: Reduce the cooking liquid significantly for a drier, more bhuna-style preparation that works well as a side dish.
Notes
- The ice bath after blanching is what keeps the spinach bright green. Skip it and you get a murky brown-green gravy.
- Kala chana needs to be soaked overnight — it's significantly denser than white chickpeas and won't cook evenly without soaking. If you forgot, an Instant Pot can cook un-soaked kala chana in about 35 minutes on high pressure.
- The reserved chana cooking liquid is starchy and flavorful — use it to thin the gravy instead of plain water.
Added Oct 26, 2026 · Updated Oct 26, 2026