Spinach & Chickpea Subji

Spinach has just got to be one among my favourite veggies. I know, but I say that about all the veggies 😉  one thing for certain, is that, it is on my Veggietable on a weekly basis, cooked in various ways and his is one of them.                       

Preparation:  10-15 min     Cooking time:  30 – 40 min Serves:  4 side dish

Ingredients

• 1 – 2 tbsp (15-30ml) sunflower oil
• 1-star anise
• 2 cloves
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 15 tender curry leaves
• ½ cup (125ml) finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
• 1 tsp (5ml) cumin powder
• 1 tbsp (15ml) mixed masala or chilli powder (adjust if you prefer a spicy hot dish)
• 1 ½ tsp (7.5ml) salt
• 1 can chickpeas (rinsed and strain excess water)
• 1 bunch spinach sliced into chunky bits (rinse out thoroughly)
• ½ can chopped plum tomatoes.

Temper

• 2 tsp (10ml ghee – Clarified butter)
• ½ tsp (2.5ml) yellow asafoetida
• Few curry leaves
• ½ tsp split white urad dhal
• 2-3 dry chillies roughly broken into 2 pieces

Let’s cook 🙂

1. I used the stalks of the spinach, chop this up into chunky square pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a pot along with the star anise and cloves.  When moderately hot toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.  When the seeds pops and leaves splatter add the onion and garlic.  Fry until the onion is soft and translucent.  When the onions are almost light brown add the spinach stalks and cook until soft – 5 minutes.
3. Toss in the cumin powder, mixed masala and salt.  Give it a quick stir and immediately add the chickpeas.  Sauté this for about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in the spinach give it a good stir.  The spinach will start to wilt, cooked for about 2 minutes and then add in the chopped tomatoes – again give it a good stir – cover the pot and let it cook for 20 -25 minutes on medium heat.  Cook until the tomatoes are fully cooked and a nice thick gravy forms.  Once cooked. Turn off the heat.
5. In a separate small pan.  Heat the ghee, toss in the asafoetida, curry leaves urad dhal and red chillies.  This will just take a few seconds.  The leaves will splatter and crisp, the dhal will brown and chillies will roast emanating a beautiful nutty flavour.  Pour this over cook subji.
6. Serving suggestion:  serve with white rice and Dhai Khadi