Chickpea Saag

If you like Indian food, then you should love this recipe.  I'm not even sure where the original recipe came from, I've been making it for years and years.  I think it was originally for a lamb saag, but I went ahead and made it vegetarian.  Now, I'm not vegetarian, but I do recognize that I need to eat my greens.  So, here goes:

Chickpea Saag

Ingredients

1	tbsp olive oil
1/4	tsp black pepper
1/8	tsp ground cloves
2	bay leaves
6	cardamom pods
3	cloves garlic
1	onion, chopped
1	inch fresh ginger, peeled and diced
5	tbsp plain yogurt
200	g baby spinach (I just buy a bag of the baby spinach, wash it, and throw it into the pot)
1	can chickpeas, rinsed
2	tsp ground cumin
1/2	tsp ground coriander
1/4	tsp cayenne pepper
1	tsp salt
200	g button mushrooms (1 container) cleaned and chopped
1	cup dry brown rice

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, put in the pepper, cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom pods (I actually put the pods in a tea ball, so I don't have to pick them out later).  Now put in the onions, garlic and ginger.  Stir and cook until the onions are soft.  Now add the ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, mushrooms chickpeas, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir and cook for about a minute.  Add the yogurt, stir to combine.  Add the spinach and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  I use a fairly big pot and usually have to add the spinach in two batches.  I wilt the first 1/2, then add the rest and wilt that down too.  Cover tightly and simmer on low heat until ready to eat.  Remove bay leaves and cardamom pods and serve over rice.