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Black chana recipe
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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.

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