Kala Chana Masala

Black chickpeas in the Indian kitchen

Kala chana is the small, dark-skinned desi chickpea, nuttier and firmer than the large pale kabuli variety used in Punjabi chole. It is cooked all over India in many forms. This recipe is the North Indian home-style gravy, usually served with rice or roti. A drier version without much gravy goes on the plate with puri and suji halwa for the kanya pujan meal during Navratri in many North Indian homes. The South cooks the same pulse with coconut and curry leaves as chana sundal, and eastern India's ghugni applies a similar masala to dried yellow peas.

Soaking and pressure cooking without error

Black chickpeas have thick skins and need time. Eight to ten hours in plenty of water is standard, and an overnight soak in summer is best done in the refrigerator so that the water does not start to ferment. Discard the soaking water; it holds some of the sugars that cause gas. Fresh water and a little salt go into the cooker, since the salt seasons the chana right through and, contrary to the old warning, does not stop it from softening.

Whistle counts vary too much between cookers and stoves to be reliable, so this recipe gives time under pressure and a test. Keep the cooker no more than half full, since pulses foam and can block the vent, and let the pressure fall on its own. Never force the lid. Once the chana can be crushed between finger and thumb, it is done. Under-cooked chana will not soften much once it enters the acidic tomato masala, so it is better to give it a second round in the cooker than to serve it hard. Old stock can take much longer, so buy from a shop with a good turnover.

Depth without shortcuts

Three things build the gravy. The first is deep browning of the onions, which supplies colour and sweetness. The second is the cooking water, which is dark, earthy and full of the flavour of the skins, and should never be thrown out. The third is mashing a spoonful of chana into the pot, which gives body without any added flour or cream. Amchur at the end lifts all of this. Some cooks add a teaspoon of chole masala, which works well as a shortcut if you have a good one in the cupboard.

Rescuing the pot

If the gravy tastes thin, it probably needs more simmering rather than more spice, so take the lid off and give it another ten minutes. If the chana remains hard after going into the masala, transfer everything to the cooker with half a cup of water and cook for ten minutes more. A curry that tastes bitter usually has scorched spice powder, which is why a splash of water goes in with them. If it has gone too sour, add a pinch of jaggery. If it is too salty, add a boiled, mashed potato and a little water.

Swaps and additions

Tamarind pulp or lemon juice can replace amchur. A small potato or some spinach can be added during the simmer for a fuller pot. Hing lends a good savoury note, but compounded hing usually contains wheat flour, so anyone avoiding gluten should buy a certified variety or leave it out. Kabuli chana takes the same masala, although the cooking time is shorter. This dish is already light, so a lighter version is mostly about using one tablespoon of oil and more onion. For more on how pulses support a meatless diet, see the high-protein Indian diet guide, or the plant-based nutrition course for a deeper study.

Serving and leftovers

Serve with plain steamed rice, jeera rice or hot phulkas, with sliced onion, a wedge of lemon and green chilli on the side. It is even better the next day. Refrigerate within two hours of cooking and keep for up to three days. Thin with a splash of water and simmer until steaming through. It freezes well for a month in a closed container, so a double batch is worth making. Any extra boiled chana keeps for three days in its cooking water in the refrigerator, ready for a salad, or a quick snack tossed with onion, lemon and chaat masala. Rice served alongside should be cooled quickly and refrigerated within two hours as well, and reheated only once.

Those who find pulses cause bloating can start with smaller servings, and raise them gradually over a few weeks, since the gut adjusts in time. A thorough rinse after soaking tends to help as well. The dish page for kala chana curry gives sourced figures per serving. Finally, the iron-rich foods guide puts the pulse beside other Indian sources, with practical guidance on how to pair them.