When we eat Indian food at home, I usually make at least one type of meat curry and a couple of side dishes. One of our favourite side dishes is kala chana saag, which is a traditional Indian vegetable dish of black chickpeas (kala chana) and spinach (saag). Kala chana are also known as brown chickpeas and Bengal gram.
It is a healthy dish to eat because it is low in fat and sugar and contains a wide range of essential minerals and vitamins. These include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, iron, calcium, and magnesium. Therefore, if you are concerned about your nutritional intake and want to eat dishes that offer a wide range of the essential nutrients you need, then this Indian spinach and chickpea dish is a fantastic choice.
Kala chana saag is easy to make, and you can adapt it to suit your own tastes and preferred heat levels. It is also a budget-friendly option, so it is ideal for those looking for cheap vegan recipe ideas. Here is The Fruity Tart’s easy kala chana saag recipe for you to try.
Kala Chana Saag: An Easy Vegan Indian Recipe
Course: International Recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian and Vegan RecipesCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes30
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One of the most nutritious dishes you will find on our website, kala chana saag is a traditional Indian vegan dish that is surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
1 400g can of kala chana (black chickpeas)
500g bag of spinach (saag), chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 chillies, finely diced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or minced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon each of turmeric, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds
2 teaspoons each of coriander seeds and garam masala
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
Directions: How to Make the Kala Chana Saag Recipe
- Put the chickpeas in a saucepan along with the juices from the tin and a little extra water to cover the chickpeas, then put the pan over medium heat on the hob and cook for 20 minutes.
- While the chickpeas are cooking, put the oil in another pan over medium heat on the hob.
- Add the peppers and onions to the oil and cook for a few minutes until the ingredients soften.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli to the onions and cook for another two minutes.
- Next, add all the spices to the pan, and stir through the other ingredients.
- Pour the tinned tomatoes into the pan, add the tomato puree and lemon juice, and stir the ingredients together before simmering for 10 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, chop the spinach, then add to the pan. The spinach will only take a couple of minutes to wilt.
- Drain the cooked kala chana (black chickpeas) and add them to the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper, then cook all the ingredients in the same pan for 10 minutes before serving the kala chana saag with rice and/ or flatbreads.
Additional Tips
- If you cannot get kala chana, you can use regular chickpeas.
- You can also use dried chickpeas rather than canned, but you must add extra time for soaking and cooking.
- You might like to read our article on pairing wine with Indian food.
- Adapt the kala chana saag to suit your taste by adding more/ less chilli and experimenting with the spices.
Serving the Kala Chana Saag
Although this Indian spinach and chickpea dish is typically a vegetable side dish, it is also a fantastic vegan main course. If we eat it as a main course, we serve it with rice and homemade flatbreads or chapatis. As a side dish, I serve it with dishes such as:
- Turkey curry
- Lamb Kashmiri Rogan Josh
- Beef massaman curry or massaman lamb curry
- Lamb Biryani
Other vegetable accompaniments I make, and you might like to try, include:
Have you tried our recipe for kala chana saag? Let us know what you think in the comments below.