Chickpea and Spinach Curry with Mild Spices
Tender chickpeas and spinach simmered in a tomato sauce spiced with ginger, coriander, and garam masala, brightened with a squeeze of lemon. A nourishing festive dish, served in large quantities with rice or flatbread.
Tender chickpeas and spinach simmered in a tomato sauce spiced with ginger, coriander, and garam masala, brightened with a squeeze of lemon. A nourishing festive dish, served in large quantities with rice or flatbread.
On feast days, when disciples came from afar and harmonies rose without end, we had to feed everyone with abundance and joy. So I would soak the chickpeas at dawn, and marry them with spinach and spices — no onion, no garlic with us, for we keep the mind clear. I squeeze a little lemon at the end, you see, to wake everything up. Serve generously, my child: at the Lord's table, no one leaves with an empty stomach.
- •Dried chickpeas — one large bowl, soaked (protein staple)
- •Fresh spinach — one large bunch (vegetable)
- •Ripe tomatoes — several (sauce base)
- •Fresh ginger — a good piece (aromatic)
- •Ghee — a few spoonfuls (cooking fat)
- •Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala — to taste (spices)
- •Lemon — one (final acidity)
- •Fresh coriander — a handful (garnish)
Chickpea and Spinach Curry with Mild Spices
Tender chickpeas and spinach simmered in a tomato sauce spiced with ginger, coriander, and garam masala, brightened with a squeeze of lemon. A nourishing festive dish, served in large quantities with rice or flatbread.
Why this dish? For the ashram's large gatherings, during festivals and long kirtan sessions, richer vegetarian dishes were prepared to share abundantly. This onion- and garlic-free curry respects Alice Coltrane's sattvic rule while offering generosity and color to the festive table.
On feast days, when disciples came from afar and harmonies rose without end, we had to feed everyone with abundance and joy. So I would soak the chickpeas at dawn, and marry them with spinach and spices — no onion, no garlic with us, for we keep the mind clear. I squeeze a little lemon at the end, you see, to wake everything up. Serve generously, my child: at the Lord's table, no one leaves with an empty stomach.
Ingredients (period version)
- Dried chickpeas — one large bowl, soaked (protein staple)
- Fresh spinach — one large bunch (vegetable)
- Ripe tomatoes — several (sauce base)
- Fresh ginger — a good piece (aromatic)
- Ghee — a few spoonfuls (cooking fat)
- Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala — to taste (spices)
- Lemon — one (final acidity)
- Fresh coriander — a handful (garnish)
Ingredients
- Cooked chickpeas (or 250 g dried, soaked overnight) — 2 cans (480 g drained) (protein staple)
- Fresh spinach — 300 g (vegetable)
- Crushed tomatoes — 400 g (sauce base)
- Fresh grated ginger — 2 tsp (aromatic)
- Ghee or oil — 2 tbsp (cooking fat)
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp (spice)
- Ground coriander — 1 tsp (spice)
- Turmeric — 1/2 tsp (spice)
- Garam masala — 1 tsp (spice)
- Lemon juice — 1/2 lemon (final acidity)
- Fresh coriander — a few sprigs (garnish)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook until tender; otherwise, drain the canned chickpeas.
- Heat the ghee, let the cumin sizzle, then add the grated ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the ground coriander and turmeric, then the crushed tomatoes; let reduce for 10 minutes into a thick sauce.
- Stir in the chickpeas and a little water, season with salt, and simmer for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add the spinach by handfuls, letting it wilt into the sauce, then add the garam masala.
- Off the heat, add the lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh coriander. Serve with basmati rice or flatbread.
How it was made : Vegetarian cooking without onion and garlic (called *sattvic*, associated with certain Vedantic schools and Jain practices) replaces these aromatics with ginger and asafoetida (hing). For large gatherings, legumes like chickpeas provided an economical and filling protein, cooked in quantity in vast pots.
The contemporary twist : Finish with a drizzle of coconut cream and a few edible marigold petals: a golden curry worthy of an altar.
Alice Coltrane · Charactorium