Indian Recipes
Kala Chana Dry (Black Chickpeas)
Dry Kala Chana or Sookha Kala Chana is a popular recipe that’s made during Navratri and Dussehra. It has some simple spices that coat the black chickpeas to create a flavourful dish that’s best enjoyed with puris !
- Serves 6 people
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
Black Chickpeas or Kala Chana are popular in Indian cuisine but they take center stage during Dussehra and the day before Dussehra which is called ashtami or the eighth day of fasting.
These are an important component to the food made that day which is generally a no onion garlic aloo sabzi, puri, sooji halwa and this no onion garlic kala chana. I think the idea is to add a good source of fiber and protein to the meal, which is what black chickpeas does.
The beauty of this recipe is how simple it is, and still so flavourful. I highly recommend eating this with hot, puffy pooris but if that’s not your jam and you want a lighter meal, you can add some finely chopped cucumber and tomatoes and turn this into a very interesting black chickpea salad or chaat.
Top Tips to make these Sookhe Kale Chane
- Make sure to soak the black chickpeas overnight or for at least 8 hours. This helps them become easily digestible and also keeps them tender
- Pressure cooking the kala chana is the fastest and most efficient way of cooking them till tender. You can also boil them on the stovetop but that’ll take hours.
- Cook the chickpeas till they are very tender and can be mashed easily with your fingers
- Don’t discard the cooking water. We’ll be using it in the recipe because it has so much flavour. It also creates body in the dish.
- I haven’t added green chillies, but if you like the flavour and heat, then mince 2-3 green chillies and add them along with the ginger
More Recipes to cook for Navratri
Vegetarian Recipes
Potato Curry (No Onion Garlic)
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Pindi Chole | Pindi Chana (No Onion Garlic)
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Shaam Savera | Palak Paneer Kofta (No Onion Garlic)
Vegetarian Recipes
Mastering Sabudana Khichdi 101
Indian Recipes
Sabudana Vada stuffed with Paneer
Vegetarian Recipes
Perfect Pooris – Fluffy and Light as air!
Desserts
Easy Rice Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Indian Recipes
Healthy Quinoa Apple Kheer
Appetizers
Aloo Paneer Tikkis (Healthy Peas Potato & Paneer Tikki)
Appetizers
Raw Banana Tikki | Kachhe Kele ke Kebab – Vegan and Gluten Free
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The recipe
Sookha Kala Chana (Dried Black Chickpeas)
Sookha Kala Chana is typically made on the 8th day of Navratri or Ashtami and is served with halwa and puri. It's a simple, easy way to cook black chickpeas with a few spices and is made without any onion or garlic to keep it light and easily digestible.
- Serves 6 people
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry Kala chana (Bengal Gram or Black Chickpeas)
- 2 tbsp Oil (any neutral flavoured oil)
- 1 tsp Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
- 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp Raw Mango Powder (Amchur Powder)
- 1 1/4 tsp Salt
Method
- 1
Pressure cook the Kala Chana by adding 2 cups water for about 4 whistles (reduce the flame to low after the 1st whistle) or for 20 minutes in an instant pot.
- 2
Heat oil in a saucepan, add cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the grated ginger and saute for a minute.
- 3
Next add the cooked chana, along with water from the pressure cooker, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder and cook on high flame till it starts bubbling. Reduce the flame to low and cook covered for about 10-15 minutes till most of the water has reduced and the gravy has thickened to coat the chickpeas. Serve garnished with some chopped coriander with poori and sooji halwa.
Notes
Make sure to soak the black chickpeas overnight or for at least 8 hours. This helps them become easily digestible and also keeps them tender Pressure cooking the kala chana is the fastest and most efficient way of cooking them till tender. You can also boil them on the stovetop but that’ll take hours. Cook the chickpeas till they are very tender and can be mashed easily with your fingers Don’t discard the cooking water. We’ll be using it in the recipe because it has so much flavour. It also creates body in the dish. I haven’t added green chillies, but if you like the flavour and heat, then mince 2-3 green chillies and add them along with the ginger
Nutrition
- Calories 161 kcal
- Carbohydrates 21 g
- Protein 5 g
- Fat 7 g
- Saturated Fat 0.4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
- Trans Fat 0.02 g
- Sodium 502 mg
- Potassium 269 mg
- Fiber 2 g
- Sugar 1 g
- Vitamin A 195 IU
- Vitamin C 1 mg
- Calcium 70 mg
- Iron 2 mg
