Nettle and Mushroom Chana saag

Written By Tundra Grove Food Forest

Makes one large pot, for a family of 5-6.

150g Ramp pesto (or 1 med onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and enough oil to grease the pan)

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger

100g (half a cup) of canned tomato sauce, or one medium slicer tomato

1 can (450g) Garbanzo beans

250g (half pound) of mushrooms

250g (half pound) of stinging nettle (classic chana saag uses spinach, but try any leafy green you have on hand!)

1 can (400ml) of unsweetened, full fat coconut milk.

Salt to taste

  1. Place your pesto (or onion/garlic situation) in a greased pot on medium heat, warming up the oil and sweating the alliums until aromatic (2-3 minutes)

  2. Spoon in curry powder, coriander, cumin and ginger, and stir gently with intention until all those flavors flood the household (1-2 minutes). If someone in the living room ask’s “Mmm, what’s cooking?,” It’s time to deglaze the pan with a tomato.

  3. Add last year’s canned tomato sauce, or one medium, juicy heirloom. Take your stirring spoon and scrape up all the aromatic from the bottom of the pot with this newly added liquid.

  4. Strain your can of garbanzo beans, but add just a splash of bean liquid into the pot before adding protein.

  5. Add strained beans and coarsely chopped mushrooms. Stir it up (little darlin’), and add a few cracks of salt! Continue cooking on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until mushrooms and beans are tender and lightly browned.

  6. Add fresh greens, like stinging nettle and the can of coconut milk. Turn heat up to medium high. This is the time to taste your pot of nutrition, adding salt to your liking.

  7. Once the saag reaches a boil, cover and reduce heat to low until greens are tender, and until you are ready to eat. The longer you keep it on low, the better.

  8. ladle and serve on rice, and enjoy!

Tundra Grove Food Forest