Kala Chana Recipe | Punjabi Kala Chana Curry
Presenting a delectable one-pot Kala Chana recipe, a culinary delight bound to captivate the entire family, even during the most hectic weeknights. Requiring only 30 minutes of active preparation, this uncomplicated rendition of the traditional Punjabi favorite, featuring a curry of black chickpeas, guarantees a hassle-free dinner that's both satisfying and impressive.
Ingredients
For Soaking
- 1 cup black chickpeas (kala chana) – 172 grams
- 2.5 cups water – for soaking
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup finely chopped onions – 63 grams or 1 medium-sized
- 1.25 cups finely chopped tomatoes – 185 grams or 2 medium-sized
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic – 4 to 5 small to medium-sized garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies or serrano pepper or 1 to 2 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
- 1 pinch asafetida (hing) – optional
- 1.5 cups water or as required
- salt as required
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala or Punjabi garam masala
- 1 to 2 tablespoons choppped coriander leaves – optional
Instructions
Soaking Black Chickpeas
- Rinse black chickpeas for a couple of times in water.
- In a large enough bowl, take 2.5 cups water and soak the black chickpeas or kala chana in it overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- Drain the water. Using a colander or strainer, rinse the soaked chickpeas in water for a couple of times and set aside.
Making Kala Chana
- In a 3 litre pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoon oil or ghee. Reduce the heat to a low.
- Add cumin seeds. Let them crackle and then add finely chopped onions.
- Sauté onions till they become light golden on a medium-low to medium heat. Again reduce the heat to a low.
- Add finely chopped garlic, green chilli, ginger and sauté for 10 to 12 seconds or until the raw aroma of garlic and ginger goes away.
- Add finely chopped tomatoes and sauté them on a medium-low heat until the oil starts leaving from the sides of the onion-tomato masala. The tomatoes should soften and become pulpy.
- Swap fresh tomatoes with tomato puree or canned tomatoes. Crush the canned tomatoes before you add them. For tomato puree, add about ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of it.
- Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, coriander powder, kashmiri red chili powder and sauté for a minute on low heat.
- Then add the soaked black chickpeas and water. Season with salt and mix well.
- Pressure cook chana on a medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or 10 to 12 whistles until the chickpeas are cooked tender and softened well. If they have a hard center or are undercooked, pressure cook further for 5 minutes.
- Lastly sprinkle the curry with garam masala and coriander leaves. If you like, garnish punjabi kala chana gravy with coriander leaves.
- Serve the black chickpeas gravy with steamed rice, roti.
Serving Suggestions
Storage
- Store any leftover kala chana in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. While serving, reheat the curry in a pan and serve with a side of your choice.
Nutrition
Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 332mgPotassium: 525mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 690IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 3mg
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