Saag Chana Food

CHANA SAAG

Steps:

• Rinse chickpeas and roughly chop baby spinach.
• Heat oil over medium heat. Add cardamom and cinnamon. Wait for a minute.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic and cook till it starts to change color. Then add onions and sauté until golden.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add turmeric powder, ground coriander, chili powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well for a minute.
• Add ginger. Stir for a few seconds. Add tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes till well blended.
• Add chickpeas. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes. Cook covered for 10 minutes until chickpeas turn slightly soft.
• Add half of the spinach, stir, and put lid on saucepan for 1 minute. Remove lid and add the other half of the spinach and repeat the covering process.
• Remove lid and simmer uncovered for 10 minute, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in yogurt, or use as topping
• Serve hot with Basmati rice or potatoes.

INDIAN SAAG

Steps:

• In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium-high heat, and cook and stir cumin seed, chile pepper, garlic, and turmeric until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped mustard greens and spinach a little at a time, adding the tougher parts first (the stems and thicker leaves). Continue to add greens, and cook and stir until all greens have been added and all are thoroughly wilted. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and salt. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the greens moist.

SAAG CHANA

Steps:

• Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan, and add the onion, ginger and garlic and stir fry on medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until softened.
• Add the cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander and chilli powder to your onion mixture and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes till the spices become fragrant.
• Add the chickpeas and stir fry for another 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and a little water, cover and cook for another 5 minutes then add half the spinach and cover again till the spinach wilted. Stir well.
• Add the last of the spinach and cover once more till the spinach has wilted. Add a little more water if needed. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes then switch off the heat and stir through the garam masala and serve atop some steamed basmati.

CHANA SAAG

Steps:

• Cook the rice as the label directs. Set aside off the heat, about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
• Finely chop the ginger, garlic and chile in a mini food processor; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; cook until sizzling, 30 seconds. Add the onion; cook, stirring, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the pot is dry, 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon garam masala.
• Stir the chickpeas and chopped chile mixture into the pot. Add the spinach in batches, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea liquid if the pot is getting too dark. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir in 1/4 cup chickpea liquid. Partially cover and cook, stirring, until the spinach is soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream; remove from the heat.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Cook until the seeds pop, a few seconds. Stir into the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Serve the chana saag with the rice, naan, yogurt and/or lemon wedges.