Palak Chana Masala

Jackie and I hit up this little cafe called Remedy where they serve fabulous Indian food and the best damn Chai Tea on the planet. We get the Palak Chana Masala, which is to die for. Or actually it's the Palak Paneer Chana Masala, but we get it without the Paneer 'cause, you know, vegan and all. This ain't no Remedy, but it might be just the thing if you're poor, lazy, and need to feed a crowd. The smooth, rich sauce and earthy, mildly sweet flavours spell comfort on a cold day (and tasty on any other day.) I'd guess you'd have about 6-8 servings if you're plating this alongside rice and naan. And the ingredients cost less than $10 if you have the spices on hand (as you should!). Talk about bang for your buck.

Veggies:
oil for cooking
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inch square piece ginger, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (two if they're flavourless and not very sweet)
1 bag spinach, finely chopped
(it sounds like a lot of chopping, but it should take about 5-7 minutes tops. You can even use a food processor if you have one--it doesn't have to look pretty, it'll all get smooshy when it's cooked anyway)

Cans:
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 can coconut milk
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups veggie stock, or bouillon in water (I use the fake chicken kind, add more boullion for more saltiness)


Spices:
1 tbsp chana masala spice blend--if you can't find it, don't worry, add a teaspoon more of the following:
1 tbsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed (use powdered if you must)
1 tbsp generic, yellow curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1/2 cup toasted coconut (toast unsweetened coconut in the over at 350 degrees, stirring often, until toasty and fragrant)

In a large pot, cook the onions and all the spices except the garam masala and coconut in a spoonful of oil over medium heat for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the remaining veggies except the spinach and cook for a few more minutes. Add all the canned things and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, stir occasionally for about 20 minutes. Add water if necessary to make a velvety, saucy consistency (you don't want things all sticky, that's just gross.) Toss in the spinach and garam masala, serve when the spinach has wilted, topped with the coconut. This dish should be mostly chickpeas and spinach, with a velvety (not soupy) sauce and mild curry flavour. Adjust quantities to meet this goal, or come up with something different :) Goes great along basmati rice steamed with a few pinches of whole cumin seeds and warmed naan. Or you can wrap it in something. Also great cold for breakfast, as are most leftovers in my books.