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Kala chana recipe | Black chana masala | Black chickpeas curry

Name: Kala chana masala recipe
Prep time: 480 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 520 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup Black chickpeas or kala chana (soaked overnight or minimum of 8 hours); 2 to 3 cardamom pods (slightly crushed); 1-inch cinnamon stick; 2 to 3 Bay leaves/ Tej patta; 2 cloves; 1 tsp Carom seeds/ Ajwain; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 2 to 3 tbsp mustard oil; 2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds; 2 medium onions (finely chopped); 1-inch ginger (grated); 3 to 4 garlic cloves (grated or paste); 2 large tomatoes (finely chopped or paste); 2 green chillies (vertically slit); Few Ginger julienne; ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder; 1 tbsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp Coriander powder; 1 tsp Dry mango powder (amchur powder); 1 tbsp Jeera powder; salt per taste; 1 tsp kasuri methi; 1 tbsp garam masala; 2 to 3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves; 1 tbsp oil; 2 Green chillies (vertically slit); 1 tsp Red chilli powder; 1 tsp Jeera powder

Kala chana recipe or Black chana masala is a spicy curry made with black chickpeas or also known as desi chana sauteed in onion-tomato gravy. This curry is often made in Punjabi homes either in a gravy form or dry form. It is ideally served with either puri, steamed rice or jeera rice, or paratha.

This Punjabi or North Indian chana masala recipe comes handy when you run out of fresh vegetables in your fridge. Or even when you just want to take a break from your regular vegetables. I prefer making bean curries once or twice in a week for a little change and also is a good source of proteins.

How to prepare black chana masala

It is very important to soak black chickpeas overnight or for at least 7 to 8 hours. Soaking makes it easier to soften them. And also it saves you time while cooking. If you forgot or had no time for soaking, then you can soak it in a hot water covered for a minimum of 2 hours. By the time it is soaking, you can prepare for either rice or roti.

It is a good idea to cook kala chana, or for that matter, any beans to cook in a pressure cooker rather than cooking in a pot. In a pressure cooker, it cooks faster somewhere around 15 to 20 mins for 4 to 5 whistles on medium flame. On the other hand, it would take hours to cook in a pot.

When it is softened in a pressure cooker, it is cooked in onion-tomato gravy for 15 mins and chana masala is ready.

Health benefits of desi chana

These black/ brown chickpeas or desi chana are rich in proteins which is a great substitute of meat for vegans or vegetarians.
These are high in antioxidants which promote heart-health, in fact, your overall health. It reduces any risk of heart disease.
It also helps in controlling cholesterol levels. It is low in fat and high in fibre providing 13 grams of dietary fibre.
The most beneficial part of today’s date is it helps in digestion which indirectly aids in weight loss.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments. I love to hear from you.

If you enjoy this hearty recipe, be sure to check out my Blog for more!

Kala chana Recipe Card

5 from 1 vote

Kala chana masala recipe

Kala chana masala recipe, made with black chickpeas, sauteed in onion tomato masala and tempered with fresh Indian spices, is the exotic and mouth-watering north Indian curry.

Prep Time8 hrs

Active Time40 mins

Total Time8 hrs 40 mins

Course: Curries, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, punjabi

Keyword: chana masala, Indian Curries, kala chana masala

Yield: 4 people

Calories: 256kcal

Materials

1 Cup Black chickpeas or kala chana soaked overnight or minimum of 8 hours
2 to 3 cardamom pods slightly crushed
1-inch cinnamon stick
2 to 3 Bay leaves/ Tej patta
2 cloves
1 tsp Carom seeds/ Ajwain
1 tsp Black peppercorns
2 to 3 tbsp mustard oil
2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
2 medium onions finely chopped
1-inch ginger grated
3 to 4 garlic cloves grated or paste
2 large tomatoes finely chopped or paste
2 green chillies vertically slit
Few Ginger julienne
½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Dry mango powder amchur powder
1 tbsp Jeera powder
salt per taste
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tbsp garam masala
2 to 3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

For tempering chana masala:

1 tbsp oil
2 Green chillies vertically slit
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Jeera powder

Instructions

Soaking and pressure cooking kala chana:

Rinse the overnight soaked chana under running water and put the chana's in the pressure cooker and 1 glass water.
Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, carrom seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves in the cooker.
Close the lid and pressure cook the chana in the cooker for 3 to 4 whistles, until the chana turns soft.
When the pressure releases naturally, remove the lid and check if chana can be mashed easily with the spoon or fingers.

For making kala chana masala:

Heat the mustard oil in a pan or kadhai on a medium-low flame and add a tbsp of jeera and saute till jeera splutters.
Now, add finely chopped onions and stir it till it turns golden brown in colour and looks translucent.
Then, add grated or finely chopped ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
Add finely chopped tomatoes or tomato pulp in the kadhai and mix all the ingredients nicely.
Cover and let the tomatoes simmer for 5 mins or till it turns soft
Then, add vertically slitted green chillies and ginger julienne and give it a nice mix.
Now, add haldi, jeera powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, amchur powder and salt per taste in the kadhai.
Mix all the ingredients nicely and sprinkle some tbsp of water in the kadhai and cook the dry spices for a few minutes.
After a couple of minutes, masala is cooked well and turns aromatic.
Now, add cooked chana along with its stock and mix the chana along with onion tomato masala nicely.
Lastly, add kasuri methi and garam masala and stir it nicely. Add water to achieve desired consistency.
Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves or stems and give it a nice mix.
Cover and cook the chana masala for 5 to 10 minutes and allow it to simmer on the medium-low flame till you get a perfect consistency.
Finally, kala chana masala is ready to be served hot with puri, paratha or jeera rice.

Video

Instructions

Soaking and pressure cooking kala chana:

Rinse the overnight soaked chana under running water and put the chana’s in the pressure cooker and 1 glass water.
Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, carrom seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves in the cooker.
Close the lid and pressure cook the chana in the cooker for 3 to 4 whistles, until the chana turns soft.
When the pressure releases naturally, remove the lid and check if chana can be mashed easily with the spoon or fingers.

For making kala chana masala:

Heat the mustard oil in a pan or kadhai on a medium-low flame and add a tbsp of jeera and saute till jeera splutters.
Now, add finely chopped onions and stir it till it turns golden brown in colour and looks translucent.
Then, add grated or finely chopped ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
Add finely chopped tomatoes or tomato pulp in the kadhai and mix all the ingredients nicely.
Cover and let the tomatoes simmer for 5 mins or till it turns soft
Then, add vertically slitted green chillies and ginger julienne and give it a nice mix.
Now, add haldi, jeera powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, amchur powder and salt per taste in the kadhai.
Mix all the ingredients nicely and sprinkle some tbsp of water in the kadhai and cook the dry spices for a few minutes. After a couple of minutes, masala is cooked well and turns aromatic.
Now, add cooked chana along with its stock and mix the chana along with onion tomato masala nicely.
Lastly, add kasuri methi and garam masala and stir it nicely. Add water to achieve desired consistency.
Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves or stems and give it a nice mix.
Cover and cook the chana masala for 5 to 10 minutes and allow it to simmer on the medium-low flame till you get a perfect consistency.
Finally, kala chana masala is ready to be served hot with puri, paratha or jeera rice.

Important Tips for making Chole:

If you are in a hurry and do not have time to soak chickpeas, you can use canned chickpeas. It will save you time.
You can also add store-bought Chole masala of any good brand.
Serve hot kala chana masala with Kulcha, Butter naan, Bhature along with thin slices of onions, tomatoes and lemon wedges.
It also tastes delightful with jeera rice or normal steamed rice.

Finally, I would like to share my other veg Curry recipes from my blog. This includes Dum aloo recipe, Paneer kadhai recipe, Mushroom kadhai gravy recipe, Matar Jhol recipe, spicy misal pav recipe, matar ke chole recipe, etc. Also, go through our Indian bread section for a variety of rotis like Butter naan recipe, palak paratha recipe, kachori recipes and thalipeeth recipe.