Black chana masala | Kala chana recipe | Black chickpeas curry using pressure cooker
Learn how to make black chana masala recipe in pressure cooker quickly. Serve with roti, Poori and naan.
Black chana or Kala chana as popularly called is the black chickpeas which is much stronger and dark-skinned than the kabuli(white) chana.
The other popular Punjabi White chana masala is the Amristari chole, which is the favorite pair for Bhature. Punjabi chole masala is entirely different in flavor and taste from this simple black chickpeas curry.
Preparation of this black chana masala takes just 20 minutes in pressure cooker excluding the soaking time of chickpeas. Usually, overnight soaking is the best choice while preparing chickpeas recipe.
To give body(required thickness) to the gravy I follow a tip of grinding some soaked chana and adding to the masala. It is actually very useful and you may not actually need fresh cream or cashew paste to solve the purpose. But it is entirely your choice adding the fresh cream as it gives a rich taste to the gravy. For home-made cream, look at the tips section.
Few health notes on black chickpeas or garbanzo beans:
Chickpeas contain several vitamins and minerals. They’re also a good source of fiber and protein, which makes them a filling food that may help lower appetite and reduce calorie intake at meals.
Furthermore, chickpeas regulate blood sugar levels and help lose weight.
Including chickpeas in your diet regularly will support your health and may reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
For similar yummy vegetarian gravy/curry recipes:
Watch the video here:
Black chana masala | Kala chana recipe | Black chickpeas curry in cooker
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup black chickpeas
- 3 tsp oil/butter
- 1 cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 big onion
- ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chilli
- 2 small/1 large tomato
- ½ tbsp chilli powder
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt (as per taste)
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp fresh cream (optional)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Clean and soak black chickpeas with enough water overnight or for eight hours minimum.
Recipe to make Kala chana/black chana curry:
- First of all, take two tbsp of soaked chana in a blender and grind into a fine paste and keep aside. This paste is to add at a later stage of the gravy to give thickness.
- Heat oil in a pressure pan, add the whole spices cinnamon, bay leaf and cumin seeds.
- Let the cumin seeds splutter and add chopped onions.
- Saute onions until they become soft and add ginger garlic paste.
- Let the raw smell goes off from garlic and add green chilli.
- Make a paste with tomatoes and add. Alternately you can add finely chopped tomatoes and saute with onions.
- Add chilli powder and a cup of water to cook the masala.
- Now add the soaked chickpeas. Drain the soaking water. It is not recommended to use that water.
- Pour one more cup of fresh water, cover with the lid, pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles.
- After pressure drops, open the lid, add the chana paste and mix well.
- Add required salt for the black chana gravy and let the curry come to boiling.
- Finally, add a quarter tsp of garam masala and a tablespoon of fresh cream. Fresh cream is optional and you can use homemade cream(learn in tips section on how to make fresh cream at home).
- Mix well, cook for two minutes and switch off.
- Serve with chapati, Poori, dosa, appam and ghee rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Preparation:
- Clean and soak black chickpeas with enough water overnight or for eight hours minimum.
Recipe to make Kala chana/black chana curry:
- First of all, take two tbsp of soaked chana in a blender and grind into a fine paste and keep aside. This paste is to add at the later stage of the gravy to give thickness.
- Heat oil in a pressure pan, add the whole spices cinnamon, bay leaf and cumin seeds.
- Let the cumin seeds splutter and add chopped onions.
- Saute onions until they become soft and add ginger garlic paste.
- Let the raw smell goes off from garlic & add the green chilli.
- Make a paste with tomatoes and add. Alternately you can add finely chopped tomatoes and saute with onions.
- Add chilli powder and a cup of water to cook the masala.
- Now add the soaked chickpeas. Drain the soaking water. It is not recommended to use that water.
- Pour one more cup of fresh water, cover with the lid, pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles.
- After pressure drops, open the lid, add the chana paste and mix well.
- Add required salt for the black chana gravy and let the curry come to boiling.
- Finally, add quarter tsp of garam masala and a tablespoon of fresh cream. Fresh cream is optional and you can use homemade cream(learn in tips section on how to make fresh cream at home).
- Mix well, cook for two minutes and switch off.
- Serve with chapati, Poori, dosa, appam and ghee rice.
Tips:
1) For fresh cream, collect the top layer(malai) from the thick boiled milk and store in a container & keep in milk tray inside the refrigerator. Whenever the gravy asks for fresh cream just scoop out a tbsp, beat well with a fork, and mix in the gravy. This is as good/ tasty as store-bought fresh cream.
2) As chickpeas are loaded with lots of fiber, boiling in a pan takes more time. Hence cooking in the pressure cooker is the best method.
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