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    Home » Curries

    Chana Palak (Chole Palak)

    Published: Dec 29, 2013 · Last Modified: Aug 24, 2022 by Kanan Patel / 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Chana palak recipe or chole palak recipe - Boiled chickpeas are simmered into flavorful, vibrant looking spinach gravy.

    Chana Palak served with masala paratha and cucumber tomato slices in the back.

    This is north Indian or Punjabi style of making curry. It has basic onion-tomato based gravy along with spinach.

    There are no much spice powder are added here, still tastes fantastic. For spicy taste, only green chilies are added. So adjust the amount

    This is very healthy and full of nutrition since it is combination of spinach and chickpeas.

    You can see I have added powder from cashew nuts. But instead you can add cashew paste as well. I wanted to make this homey and so I wanted to texture in the gravy (not smooth like restaurant gravies). That's why I added powder. If you like smoother gravy then add paste.

    The procedure looks very lengthy but actually it is not that lengthy. If you follow the instructions I have mentioned, this can be ready in only 40 minutes (from boiling chana to finish up curry). Obviously you need to pre-plan to soak kabuli chana overnight.

    Check out more spinach based gravy
    Aloo palak  //  Mushroom palak  //  Palak paneer  //  Corn palak

    Step By Step Photo Instructions:

    1) Wash the chole under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak them in enough water for overnight or at least 8 hours.

    Collage of 2 images showing boiled chickpeas in a pressure cooker.

    2) After the soaking time, discard the water. Take them into pressure cooker. Add 1 ½ cups of fresh water. Cover with the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on high + 20 minutes on low-medium. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid.

    3) Meanwhile, take 5-6 cups of water into a patila or pan. Add big pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, add spinach. Blanch for exactly 3 minutes.

    4) Then remove the leaves and dunk them into ice cold water or wash under running cold water. This way it will stop the further cooking and the green color of spinach stays intact.

    5) In the same water, blanch the tomato. For that make ‘x’ cut at the bottom of the tomato and add into boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then remove, let it cool slightly. Peel the skin off.

    6) Now into the grinder or blender. First make cashew powder. Then make tomato puree and spinach puree.

    Collage of 4 images showing blanching spinach and tomato, puree of spinach, tomato and cashew powder.

    7) Now heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.

    8) Then add chopped onion and salt. Cook till they becomes light brown in color.

    9) Now add ginger and garlic paste.

    10) Mix and saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.

    Collage of 4 images showing tempering of cumin, cooking onion, ginger, garlic.

    11) Now add prepared tomato puree.

    12) Also add coriander powder, garam masala and kasoori methi.

    13) Mix and cook till all the moisture is evaporated and oil starts to ooze out from the sides.

    14) Now add spinach puree. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

    Collage of 4 images showing cooking tomato puree with spices and adding spinach puree.

    15) Then add cashew powder and mix.

    16) Add boiled chole along with its water.

    17) Bring it to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes. Adjust the water as per your liking gravy consistency. I have added extra ½ cup of water.

    18) Now remove it to a serving bowl and serve.

    Collage of 2 images showing adding cashew powder, boiled chickpeas and mixed.

    Serving suggestion: Serve this chole palak or chana palak recipe with roti/phulka, plain paratha, masala paratha or naan. It can be served with plain steamed rice or jeera rice.

    Chana Palak Recipe | Chole Palak |Spinach chickpeas curry

    Did you try this chole palak recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    Chana Palak Recipe | Chole Palak |Spinach chickpeas curry
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    Chana Palak (Chole Palak)

    4.84 from 6 votes
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    Chana palak recipe or chole palak recipe - Boiled chickpeas are simmered into flavorful, vibrant looking spinach gravy.
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian,Punjabi
    Calories: 330kcal
    Servings 3
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • ¾ cup Dried white chickpeas (Chole or kabuli chana or safed chana)
    • 1 ½ cups Water
    • 5-6 cups Spinach (palak) washed, palak
    • 3-4 Green chilies
    • 5 cups Water For blanching spinach and tomato
    • 1 medium Tomato

    For Gravy:

    • ¼ cup Cashew nuts powdered
    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
    • ½ of medium or ½ cup Red onion chopped finely
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
    • 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ cup Water

    Instructions 

    • Wash chickpeas under running cold water till water runs clear.
    • Soak them for 8-10 hours or overnight.
    • Drain and take into pressure cooker. Add 1 ½ cups of water. Cover with lid and put the weight on.
    • Cook for 1 whistle on high + 20 minutes on medium-low heat. Or cook it till they are soft.
    • Let the pressure go down by itself. then open the lid.
    • Bring about 5-6 cups of water to a rolling boil.
    • Add salt to it, then add spinach, cook for 3 minutes.
    • Drain all the water and run cold water to it so it stops cooking. Keep in the colander.
    • Now let the water comes to a boil again. Make a cross at the bottom of the tomato.
    • Blanch it into water for 4-5 minutes or till the skin will start to comes off.
    • Immediately drop into cold water to stop cooking. Peel the skin off.
    • Now first make cashew powder into grinder.
    • After that, puree the tomato.
    • And then puree spinach with green chilies. Keep them aside.
    • Now heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.
    • Then add chopped onion. Add some salt and let it cook till it becomes light brown.
    • Add ginger paste, garlic paste. Cook for a minute.
    • Add pureed tomato. Cook till moisture evaporates.
    • Add coriander powder, garam masala and kasoori methi. Mix and cook for a minute.
    • Now Add pureed spinach and mix well.
    • Once curry comes a boil, sprinkle cashew nut powder. Mix it properly.
    • Add cooked chana and mix.
    • Add water if needed to adjust the gravy consistency. I have added ½ cup of water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Then turn off the stove.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.3g | Protein: 14.2g | Fat: 13.4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 1056mg | Fiber: 12.1g | Sugar: 9.2g
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

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    1. Mukta

      July 12, 2018 at 1:38 am

      So good. We really enjoyed it! Thanks.5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        July 12, 2018 at 2:55 am

        glad to know.
        Thank you for the review

        Reply
    2. Shilpa MV

      April 27, 2017 at 10:20 am

      Hi, I cooked spinach for about 4-5 minutes, the cookie remained good but the gravy had a lot of raw spinach taste and smell... Didn't come out well😢 I should have thoroughly cooked spinach?

      Reply
      • Shilpa MV

        April 27, 2017 at 10:21 am

        Sorry I meant the colour remained well**

        Reply
      • Kanan

        April 27, 2017 at 10:41 am

        The spinach should get cooked well Because we are blanching and then the gravy is simmered for around 5 minutes as well. I guess this is enough time.
        Did you simmer/boil the gravy for sometime?

        Reply
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    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

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