Name: Kala Chana
Prep time: 480 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups black chickpeas; 6 cups water; 1.5 tbsp ghee or oil (Use cold pressed coconut oil or avocado oil for vegan version of the same recipe.); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp grated ginger; 1.5 tsp red chili powder; 1.5 tsp roasted cumin powder; 1 tsp garam masala; 2.5 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp Amchur powder (dried mango powder); 2 tsp Salt or to taste; 1.5 tsp Black Salt (Kala Namak); 2 cups water; 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves; 2 small green chilis slit; 1 tbsp ginger juliennes

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Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas curry is a dish that is particularly served as Ashtami Prasad. This is a dry curry that has no onion and garlic. Also called as Sookhe Kale Chane, it is served with Poori, a deep fried Indian flatbread and some velvety Sooji Halwa. The platter is enticing not just to eat but even to just look at.

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Traditionally, this curry is cooked using a stove-top pressure cooker or in an open pan. While the pressure cooker Kala Channa takes little time, it does not give us the same consistent results every time.

Enter Instant Pot. Kala Chana in Instant Pot is the same every single time. And there is no baby-sitting involved. All you have to do without fail is soak the chickpeas.

Unlike garbanzo beans, these take slightly longer to cook. Hence, the soaking time is longer. When the chickpeas are hydrated for a long time, the cooking time reduces drastically.

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Brown chickpeas vs Garbanzo Beans
Vegan Black Chickpeas Curry
Ingredients
Shelf life and storage
Jazzing up leftover chickpea curry
Method
Recipe Notes
Recipe Card
Kala Chana
Recipe Notes
More Instant Pot Curries

Brown chickpeas vs Garbanzo Beans

Most of us are familiar with garbanzo, the white chickpeas that are immensely popular in the middle eastern fare. Kala Channa; known as black chickpeas in English is another variety that belongs to the same family.

We refer to this as the Desi Chickpeas. These are smaller in size when compared to garbanzo beans. And they are as nutritious as garbanzo beans. They are dark brown and wrinkly with a rough outer covering.

These beans are green when picked fresh and go by the name Choliya.

Vegan Black Chickpeas Curry

Traditionally, this curry uses ghee. If you are looking for a vegan black chickpeas curry, please use cold-pressed coconut oil or avocado oil to make this recipe. This vegan black chickpeas curry tastes just as delicious.

Ingredients

This is a simple and no fuss curry where the star ingredient is the chickpea. Since this is a no onion and garlic recipe, there is minimal chopping involved. This makes it the perfect dish to whip up for a crowd or for batch cooking as well.

Dry black chickpeas

Make sure to hydrate these chickpeas for at least 8 hours. These chickpeas take longer to cook unlike garbanzo. And they do not turn to a mush on cooking as well.

These beans hold shape even if you over cook them. So, they are not only perfect for this recipe but also for salads.

Older chickpeas do not cook easily. So make sure you buy a fresh stock and use. This is especially true if you are cooking a large batch.

Other spices

We will be using pantry staples like Garam Masala and paprika powder. To give this curry a tangy taste, we will be using Amchur Powder. This is nothing but ground dehydrated raw mango.

You will find them in most Indian stores. Patel Brothers and Coconut Hill are two shops where you can look for them in the US.

How to make Bhuna Jeera powder?

Other than the above mentioned spices, this recipe also calls for Bhuna Jeera Powder. This is nothing but roasted cumin ground in a nut grinder.

To make your own roasted cumin powder, heat a cast iron or iron skillet over low flame. Add 1/4 cup of cumin seeds and gently dry roast them on low heat for about 45 secs to 1 minute.

Do not leave this unattended even for a second. Cumin seeds burn very quickly. Burnt cumin tastes bitter and alters the taste of any dish. When you see the cumin seeds turn a deep brown, switch off the flame immediately.

Now, transfer this to a plate and allow it to cool. When cooled, grind to a slightly coarse powder.

Always make this in small batches since it tends to lose flavor over time. Store roasted cumin powder in an air tight glass jar for up to 1 month.

Your own Bhuna Jeera powder is ready. Sprinkle this on your curries, soups, salads, Chaats and even on roasted papad. This tastes amazing.

Shelf life and storage

This curry keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days. We rarely make a small batch of this since it is a dish that is always made on festive occasions. So, I land up with leftovers every time.

You can also freeze leftover curry. To freeze any leftovers, pack them in small portions in freezer safe silicone bags or Pyrex. Freeze till ready to use.

To use frozen chickpea curry, thaw at room temperature for 2 hours. Then, steam in a steamer for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot. Do not refreeze thawed curry at any cost.

Jazzing up leftover chickpea curry

While we all love eating this protein rich dish on Ashtami, I hear groans and moans when I say that there is leftover on the next day. I am sure many of us face the same situation at home. So, I try and jazz up the leftovers. Here is what I do. In case you have other ideas, please share them in the comments.

Make it a salad

Combine 1 cup of the leftover curry with finely chopped cukes, tomatoes, shredded carrots and beets and some pomegranate pearls. Top with sev, squeeze in some lime. Toss well. Serve immediately.

Stuff it into a wrap or pita

Stuff a pita with 2 to 3 tbsp of this curry with some green chutney or sour cream, some thinly sliced raw onions ( if you are not fasting), finely chopped parsley and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Make Kala Chana Chaat

Assemble the salad I mentioned above. You can also add boiled potatoes along with this. Drizzle Hari chutney and Meeti chutney. Add 3 to 4 tbsp smoothly whisked yogurt. Top with sev. Serve immediately.

Method

Hydrate black chickpeas

Wash the chickpeas well. Drain. Soak the washed chickpeas in 6 cups water for at least 8 hours. Once they are hydrated, they will look plump. Drain the soaked chickpeas in a colander and set aside.

Instant Pot Sookhe Kala Chana

Insert the inner pot into the Instant pot. Turn on Saute mode on NORMAL for 5 MINUTES. Wait for the display to read HOT. When the display reads hot, add ghee. Once the ghee melts, add the cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

When the cumin seeds crackle, add the finely chopped ginger and mix well. Now, add the soaked chickpeas, red chili powder, kala Namak (black salt), amchur powder, roasted cumin powder (Bhuna jeera masala), salt and coriander powder along with Kosher salt.

Instant Pot Cooking Time and Method

Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Press CANCEL. Make sure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Set the VALVE to SEALING. Now, press PRESSURE COOK- HIGH PRESSURE- 30 MINUTES.

Wait for the pressure to release naturally. Natural release pressure takes anywhere between 20 to 25 minutes depending on where you live.

When the pin drops, open the lid. Mix everything once. If you find that there is some water left, then press SAUTE mode on NORMAL for 5 MINUTES.

Allow the black chickpea curry to simmer until all water dries up. Keep stirring every now and then to prevent burning. Once dry, garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Sookhe Chane- Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method

Hydrate the chickpeas as instructed above. Heat a 5 liter deep pressure cooker pan with ghee. Add the cumin seeds and wait for them to crackle. When the cumin crackles, add the ginger and mix well. Now, add the soaked chickpeas.

Add all the spice powders, Kala Namak and Kosher salt. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Close the lid and put the weight on. Cook on medium flame for 8 whistles.

After 8 whistles, wait for the pressure to release naturally. Open and mix gently. If there is some water left, simmer on medium flame till all the water dries up. When done, garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Top with fresh ginger juliennes and sliced green chilis before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adding Heeng ( Asafetida) is optional but recommended. Skip this if you are looking for a gluten-free black chickpeas curry. Most Heeng have some gluten added to it. So please exercise caution.
If your chickpeas are not cooked even after the mentioned cooking time, cook them for 15 minutes longer and allow natural pressure release, if you are using the instant pot.
In case you are using a regular pressure cooker and the chickpeas are not cooked, then cook them for 5 more whistles on medium flame and wait for pressure to release naturally.

Recipe Card

Kala chana made in Instant pot served in a steel pan with pooris placed on a black platter

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4.60 from 5 votes

Kala Chana

Black chickpeas cooked to perfection with an assortment of spices using the Instant Pot. A delicious curry served as a part of the Ashtami Offerings.

Prep Time8

Cook Time30

Pressure Release Time20

Course: Main Course, Mains

Cuisine: North Indian

Servings:

Calories: 388kcal

Ingredients

2 cups black chickpeas
6 cups water

For the curry

1.5 tbsp ghee or oil Use cold pressed coconut oil or avocado oil for vegan version of the same recipe.
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp grated ginger
1.5 tsp red chili powder
1.5 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
2.5 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp Amchur powder dried mango powder
2 tsp Salt or to taste
1.5 tsp Black Salt (Kala Namak)
2 cups water

For garnish

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 small green chilis slit
1 tbsp ginger juliennes