Chickpea and Spinach Green Masala

Ingredients

• Kabuli chana (chickpeas) - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 whole
• Spinach leaves - 1 cup
• Ginger - 1 piece
• Garlic - 6 clove
• Green chilies - 3 whole
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Peppercorns - 1/4 tsp
• Curd - 1 cup
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 1 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. 1Soak the chickpeas in water for 5-6 hours, then pressure cook them with a little salt and set aside.
2. 2While the chickpeas soak, chop the onion and spinach and roughly chop the coriander and mint so they are ready to use.
3. 3Make the green masala by grinding the green chilies, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, mint leaves and curd to a smooth paste.
4. 4Heat the oil and ghee in a pan, add the cumin seeds and peppercorns, and once they start to splutter and give off a fragrant aroma, add the chopped onion.
5. 5Fry the onion until it turns golden brown, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly and develops a sweet, caramelized note.
6. 6Add the chopped spinach and sauté it until it wilts and turns bright green, about a minute or two.
7. 7Add the boiled chickpeas and stir well for 1-2 minutes so they pick up the flavors from the pan.
8. 8Sprinkle the garam masala over the chickpeas and mix thoroughly to distribute the spice.
9. 9Pour in the prepared green masala paste and stir to combine everything into a uniform sauce.
10. 10Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld and the sauce thicken slightly.
11. 11Serve hot with roti or chapati. Optional: garnish with a few extra coriander leaves before serving.