Trini Curry Channa with Spinach and Green Seasoning

The short answer: This Trini curry channa takes about 30 minutes and gives you roughly 13g of plant protein and 12g of fiber per bowl. Chickpeas simmer in a toasted curry base with fresh green seasoning, garlic, roasted cumin and a little scotch bonnet, then spinach wilts in at the end.

It’s a weeknight, the fridge is thin and the pantry has two cans of chickpeas. In Trinidad, that’s the start of one of the best meals on the island. All you need is a spice jar and a handful of herbs.

It’s one of the meals from our guide to healthy Caribbean recipes that keep the flavor, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.

Why this trini curry channa works on tired nights

• Pantry protein. Canned chickpeas bring protein and fiber with no soaking.
• One pot, 30 minutes. Toast, simmer, wilt, done.
• Green seasoning does the heavy lifting. A quick blend of herbs, garlic and pepper adds huge flavor.
• It’s even better tomorrow. The curry thickens and deepens overnight.

Chickpeas are a legume, and the Harvard Nutrition Source guide to legumes explains why beans and peas are worth eating often.

The flavor: what makes it taste so good

Trinidad curry starts with a step called burning the curry: you toast the curry paste in hot oil until it darkens and smells nutty. That one minute is the difference between flat curry and real Trini flavor.

• Green seasoning: culantro or cilantro, thyme, scallion, garlic and pepper blended fresh
• Curry powder toasted in oil until fragrant
• Geera (roasted ground cumin) stirred in at the end
• A little scotch bonnet for warmth
• Spinach for color and greens

What you need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Quick green seasoning: cilantro or culantro, scallions, garlic cloves, fresh thyme leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, water
• Curry: coconut oil, yellow onion, curry powder, chickpeas, water, sea salt, baby spinach, roasted ground cumin (geera), lime

Also, a note on fat: we cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee. They taste better, and they’re real food.

How to make trini curry channa

First, blend a quick green seasoning. Next, toast the curry with onion, garlic and seasoning in coconut oil. Then add the chickpeas and water and simmer, crushing a few to thicken. Finally, stir in spinach and roasted cumin. The full recipe card is below.

Trini Curry Channa with Spinach

Chickpeas simmered in toasted curry with fresh green seasoning, roasted cumin and spinach. One pot, 30 minutes.

30minutes

13gprotein

300calories

4servings

Servings

1x2x3x

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Ingredients Uncheck all

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Quick green seasoning

• 1 cup cilantro or culantro loosely packed
• 3 scallions chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper seeds removed
• 2 tbsp water

Curry

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 tbsp curry powder Caribbean-style if you can find it
• 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 tsp roasted ground cumin (geera)
• 1 lime cut in wedges

Instructions

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1. Blend the cilantro, scallions, garlic, thyme, scotch bonnet and water into a rough green paste.
2. Warm the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
   Start 4 min timer
3. Stir the curry powder with 2 tablespoons of water into a paste, add it to the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and smells toasty.
   Start 2 min timer
4. Add half the green seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
   Start 1 min timer
5. Add the chickpeas, water and salt. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, crushing some chickpeas with your spoon to thicken the sauce.
   Start 15 min timer
6. Stir in the spinach, roasted cumin and the rest of the green seasoning and cook for 1 minute until the spinach wilts.
   Start 1 min timer
7. Taste for salt and serve with lime.

Calories 300Protein 13gCarbohydrates 40gFat 11gFiber 12gper serving, estimated

Serving ideas

Serve it with sprouted grain flatbread, over brown rice, or with a scoop of Jamaican rice and peas for a full island plate. A squeeze of lime on top brightens it.

Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 300 calories, 13g protein, 40g carbs and 12g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.

Swaps and variations

• Add a diced potato with the chickpeas for classic aloo and channa.
• Swap spinach for chopped callaloo, kale or chard.
• No culantro? Use a big handful of cilantro.
• For more protein, serve it with a fried pasture-raised egg or a spoon of Greek yogurt.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Keep Trini curry channa in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for 3 months. It thickens as it sits, so add a splash of water and reheat it in a pot over medium-low heat.

Frequently asked questions

Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our Jamaican rice and peas next.

This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.