Indian style Kale Curry with Chickpeas – Kale Chole

This Indian style Kale curry with Chickpeas is right along the lines of the ever popular Chole. The addition of dino kale, to make a more nutritious and hearty dish. Serve with steamed rice or dinner rolls, to make a complete meal. Canned chickpeas cut down the prep and cooking time considerably.

My kitchen garden’s kale game is going strong. I’m happily giving away bunches of these beautiful blue-green leaves to friends and neighbours and earning valuable food karma. After all, who doesn’t like a bunch of fresh homegrown organic kale. Even as I type, my housekeeper K is tying two bunches of kale to gift fellow food blogger friends whom I’m meeting over lunch.

Read my post on All you want to know about Kale and how to make crispy kale chips

Chole or Indian Chickpeas curry is one of my favourite dishes, that I’m ever ready to eat with hot rice or rotis. I even eat any leftover chole as it is topped with some yogurt, green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. Yes, healthy chaats do exist 😀 Because of the current lot of kale blessing my garden, I’m always looking to add a few leaves to any savoury dish I’m preparing. That’s how this Indian style kale curry with chickpeas came about. Kale chana (not to be confused with kala chana LOL) or kale chole, in which the simple addition of a generous quantity of shredded kale to the chickpeas, led to a hearty and wholesome dish. It does lend a greenish tinge to the sauce, but that just gives the chole a new look!

Try this curry with any greens you can get your hands on. Remember to cook the greens along with the chickpeas to save time. If you are using canned chickpeas, it’s worthwhile simmering the drained chickpeas with the chopped greens with some water or stock, until the greens are wilted and cooked.

Chole masala can be found in the spices section of any Indian store. If you can’t find it, then use any brand of curry powder. It wont have the same taste as Chole by far, but you will still get a delicious curry nevertheless.

Print Recipe

Kale and Chickpeas Curry - Kale Chole Yum

Kale and chickpeas in an Indian style curry - a more nutritious take on the regular Chole / Chickpeas curry

Cuisine

indian, north indian

Prep Time

8 hours

Cook Time

20 minutes

Passive Time

8 hours

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chickpeas soaked in water overnight
• 1 leaves medium bunch dino kale or use any other greens
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1/2 tsp kalonji
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 tsp chole masala I swear by Goldie Chole Masala
• 1 tsp amchoor / raw mango powder OR 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 8-10 mint leaves finely chopped
• small handful of coriander finely chopped

Cuisine indian, north indian Prep Time 8 hours Cook Time 20 minutes Passive Time 8 hours Servings people Ingredients 1/2 cup chickpeas soaked in water overnight 1 leaves medium bunch dino kale or use any other greens 1 tbsp peanut oil 1/2 tsp kalonji 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 medium onion finely chopped 2 tsp chole masala I swear by Goldie Chole Masala 1 tsp amchoor / raw mango powder OR 1 tsp tamarind paste 8-10 mint leaves finely chopped small handful of coriander finely chopped

Instructions

1. To prepare the Indian style Kale Chickpeas curry, wash and dry the kale. Roll into a tight bunch and slice the into thin ribbons, discarding any tough veins.
2. In a pressure cooker / pressure pan, place the drained chickpeas and chopped kale. Top up with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover with the pressure cooker lid (with weight). After 2 whistles, reduce the flame to lowest setting and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai. Add Nigella seeds to hot oil along with chopped garlic and onion. Allow this to cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes until onions are very soft.
4. Once the cooker’s pressure has dropped, open and tip the contents into the kadai. Using a potato masher, mash some of the chickpeas coarsely in the pan itself.
5. Add the salt, chole masala, amchoor powder, red chili powder and bring to a simmer.
6. Switch off the flame, and garnish with fresh herbs.
7. Serve with rice or rotis or even pav.

Recipe Notes

If you don’t have amchoor powder, use 1 tsp of tamarind paste or 1/4 cup of freshly made tamarind extract. I totally swear by Goldie Chole Masala, ever since my friend gave me a couple of these dabbas many years ago. If I don’t have this masala at home, I don’t make chole. Not exaggerating. It is THAT good, and I can’t think of any other chole masala that comes close.

No kale? Use any greens like spinach or even other local greens like Amaranth or Bathua, whatever is in season and easily available.