Chana Masala Curried Garbanzo & Spinach

They say that the best way to experience a culture is through food and sharing a meal with locals. I have found this to be tested and true, and undoubtedly why everyone was fascinated and drawn to the late Anthony Bourdain.

When you share a meal with others, you learn so much about the culture. This is why, when I travel, I make it point to dive deep in through cooking classes. The more intimate the better. You learn so much about someone and the intricacies of that culture.

It deems like India was long ago, but as I made this Curried Garbanzo with Spinach “Buddha Bowl” it took me back to my cooking class in Udaipur inside the home of Shahi. At the beginning of class, Shashi sat us down and told us her life story. Belonging to the Brahmin class of the Indian caste system, Shashi had no way to support herself and her two young boys following the death of her husband. Brahmin's aren't allowed to perform certain work, such as clothes washing and cleaning, leaving Shashi, who didn't speak any English, with few choices. Her son's friends convinced her that her cooking was so good she ought to teach classes.

Shashi now speaks fluent English and her cooking school is the #1 rated thing to do on TripAdvisor in Udaipur. The 5-hour course tantalized our senses with exotic smells and tastes... a feast of great proportions!

This dish was inspired by the recipes I learned at Shashi’s Cooking Classes when I was in Udaipur, Rajasthan in 2018. It makes for a fiber-rich, meatless, and low-sodium delicious meal with rice.

Curried Garbanzo with Spinach Buddha Bowl

Gluten-Free, Plant-Based, Vegan,

Recipe Makes 4 Servings

What You’ll Need

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp chopped turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

2 bay leaves

2 pureed tomatoes

1 pound baby spinach,

Mineral salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

2 cups steamed white rice, for serving

What You’ll Need To Know

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat and add in garlic, ginger, turmeric, and bay leaf until fragrant.

Add onion and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.

Add in tomatoes, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and cook about 1 minute. Add garbanzo beans and 1/2 cup water.

Season with salt and pepper and simmer until tomatoes are broken down and the sauce has thickened about 10 minutes. Fold in spinach.

Serve over steamed white rice.