Pakistani · lunch, dinner

Palak Chana Masala (Chickpeas with Spinach)

Palak Chana Masala (Chickpeas with Spinach) — from Food Fusion's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 3:09

Video by Food Fusion on YouTube · Open on YouTube

90 minServes 6375 kcal a serve
  • Vegan if you leave out the butter and egg
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free if you leave out the butter
  • Nut-free

Contains: Egg, Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Each serve has about 115 g of chickpeas and 90 g of spinach, giving roughly 12 g of fibre and 15 g of protein plus plenty of folate, iron and vitamin K. No cream; the butter and egg on top are optional.

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Ingredients 20

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water, add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric and boil, covered, until soft. Drain and set aside. 0:11
  2. Blanch the chopped spinach in a pot of boiling water for 3–4 minutes, then drain. 0:38
  3. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the sliced onion and dried red chillies until golden. Add the tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and cook until the tomatoes soften, adding 3–4 tbsp water. 0:57
  4. Stir in the salt, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala, add ¼ cup water and cook for 2 minutes. 1:31
  5. Add the blanched spinach and mash it into the masala with a potato masher. Add the chickpeas and ½ cup water and cook for 3–4 minutes. 1:55
  6. Add the fenugreek leaves and ginger julienne, cover and cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes. Serve topped with more ginger, and a little butter and a sliced boiled egg if you like. 2:19

Tip. Time excludes the overnight soak. Three 400 g tins of chickpeas, drained, replace the dried ones and cut the time to about 35 minutes. Leave out the butter and egg to keep it vegan; 4 tbsp oil makes it lighter.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 6

Energy375 kcal1,570 kJ
Protein15 g30% of a day
Fibre12 g44% of a day
Carbohydrate41 g29 g net · 8.6 g sugars15% of a day
Fat19 g2.9 g saturated24% of a day
Sodium670 mg29% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 33%
  • Protein 17%
  • Fat 50%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Lower-carb idea. About 80% of the 29 g of net carbs come from the dried chickpeas. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High367%

440 µg a serve, mostly from spinach (91%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Folate High96%

385 µg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (51%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Omega-3 High82%

1.3 g a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (86%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin A High53%

474 µg a serve, mostly from spinach (82%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin C High38%

35 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (68%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Iron High36%

6.4 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (52%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Magnesium High33%

138 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (48%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin E High33%

5 mg a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (43%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin B6 High26%

0.4 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (37%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Zinc High23%

2.5 mg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (69%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Potassium High22%

1020 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (46%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Selenium Source15%

8.2 µg a serve, mostly from dried chickpeas (52%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Calcium Source13%

167 mg a serve, mostly from spinach (49%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

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Vitamin B124%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from egg (95%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Vitamin D1%

0.2 µg a serve, mostly from egg (84%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Food Fusion; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.