Kala Chana | Black Chickpea Curry

Black/Brown Chickpeas are twice as nutritious as Kabuli Chana. We use a lot of Black Chickpeas in South Indian Cooking.

We add it in Huli/Sambar along with vegetables, Make Usli out of it & even make Saaru with sprouted chickpeas.

I also love this Kala Chana Masala | Black Chickpea Curry. It tastes really good with Rice & Rotis as well & is a good substitute from Kabuli Chana

I have made this using the stovetop but can be made in the Instant Pot too.

You Will Need:

1 cup Black Chickpeas
1 medium sized Onion - finely chopped
Half a can of Tomato Puree
A small Piece of Ginger
4-5 Garlic Cloves
2 Green Chilies
2 tablespoon Oil
Salt as per taste
A very small piece of Jaggery (Optional)

Dry Spices:

1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Everest Chana Masala
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
2 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
1 big Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves

How To:

Soak Chickpeas in water overnight or for a minimum of 5-6 hours. Pressure cook with a little bit of salt for 2 whistles. Set aside

In a heavy bottomed Kadhai, heat oil, add cumin seeds, Bay Leaves & black cardamom, ginger-garlic-green chili paste

Add chopped Onions, some salt & sauté for a couple of minutes

Now add the tomato Puree, Red Chilli Powder, Chana Masala Powder & Garam Masala & fry until oil separates, This will take a good 10-15 minutes

Meanwhile, make a paste of 1 tablespoon Cooked Chickpeas

Now add the chickpea paste cooked chickpeas & the water in which chickpeas were cooked, some salt & simmer. Add Crushed Kasuri Methi as well. Simmer for 10 minutes

Turn off heat & garnish with fresh coriander before serving

Kala Chana | Black Chickpeas Curry

Yield: 4-5

Author: Deepthi Shankar

Ingredients

1 cup Black Chickpeas
1 medium sized Onion - finely chopped
Half a can of Tomato Puree
A small Piece of Ginger
5 Garlic Cloves
2 Green Chilies
2 tablespoon Oil
Salt as per taste
A very small piece of Jaggery (Optional)
Dry Spices:
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Everest Chana Masala
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
2 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
1 big Cardamom
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

Soak Chickpeas in water overnight or for a minimum of 5-6 hours. Pressure cook with a little bit of salt for 2 whistles. Set aside
In a heavy bottomed Kadhai, heat oil, add cumin seeds, Bay Leaves & black cardamom, ginger-garlic-green chili paste
Add chopped Onions, some salt & sauté for a couple of minutes
Now add the tomato Puree, Red Chilli Powder, Chana Masala Powder & Garam Masala & fry until oil separates, This will take a good 10-15 minutes
Meanwhile, make a paste of 1 tablespoon Cooked Chickpeas
Now add the chickpea paste cooked chickpeas & the water in which chickpeas were cooked, some salt & simmer. Add Crushed Kasuri Methi as well. Simmer for 10 minutes
Turn off heat & garnish with fresh coriander before serving

Did you make this recipe?

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chickpea Recipes

Kadlekalu Usli + {Video}

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Brunch

Quick One Pot Chana Pulao From Leftover Chole

I always somehow seek comfort in One Pot Meals, especially One Pot Rice dishes that get done in a Pressure Cooker & under 30 minutes.

Sometimes, I also convert leftover gravies into Pulao, like this Biryani that I made with leftover Vegetable Kurma & I immensely enjoy putting it together because it tastes amazing & a fewer vegetables to cut & fewer dishes to clean

I make One Pot Meals several times a week, & I do have a few favorites that I keep going back to.

I made this Chole Pulao made with leftover Chole/Chana Masala. This is perfect when there is leftover Chana Masala but I am not really in a mood to roll some Chapatis.

Just a bit of sliced Onions, some Tomatoes, A bit of spices, Some Rice & leftover Chole & this gets done in 20 minutes. This makes for a perfect weeknight dinner with a Raita & Salad on the side

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice
1.5 cups Leftover Chole
1 large Onion - sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoon Tomato Paste or 1 large Tomato - chopped
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Chole Masala
1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
1/2 teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
Salt as per taste
2 tablespoon Cooking Oil

Method:

Wash Basmati in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Drain & Set aside for later use

In a Pressure Cooker, Heat oil. Add Bay Leaves & Splutter Cumin seeds

Add sliced onions & sauté with pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes

Add leftover Chole/Chana Masala, Tomato Paste/Chopped tomatoes, Red Chilli Powder, Chole Masala, Kasuri Methi & Kitchen King Masala & sauté until the spiced are well cooked for about 5 minutes

Add Basmati Rice & add 1.25 cups of water & Add salt

Mix well, Deglaze the Pot & close the lid & cook for 1 whistle

Let the pressure settle down & after it cools down a bit, fluff gently with a fork

Garnish with some chopped Mint & fresh coriander if you wish to

Serve with Raita & some sliced cucumbers on the side

NOTE:

You can also add additional vegetables if needed. I usually do not add anything extra. But I I feel that it can do with some more chickpeas, I soak a little bit of chickpeas for a 2-3 hours & then add them before pressure cooking

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Appetizers

Spinach Hummus

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chaat

Kaala Chana Chaat -- Black Chickpeas & Potato Chaat

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chickpea Recipes

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

If not for the notification on Facebook, I would have easily forgotten that it was is my Blog's Birthday on the 10th:) Until a few years I would keep track of the Blog's anniversary then the baby happened & I got so busy with the hustle bustle that I conveniently put Vegetable Platter on the back burner. But Blogging has always been a passion & after so many years I still love clicking food pictures & writing about food.

I have been terribly guilty of neglecting my Blog Baby but I want to get back real soon.

I have a very simple recipe for Hummus today. We've all eaten the regular hummus but my current favourite is the one flavoured with sun dried Tomatoes.

Sun dried tomatoes add great flavour & a lovely hue to the dip.

They are incredibly easy to make so go ahead & make some on your own instead of buying a jar

You Will Need:

1 cup chickpeas - cooked or canned
3-4 cloves of Garlic
2 tbsp Tahini Paste ( I used store bought )
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil + another tbsp more to be poured on top
8 sun dried tomatoes (soaked in olive oil)
Fresh basil
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp or more salt

How To:

If not using canned chickpeas, soak about Half a cup of dried chickpeas in water for 6 hours or overnight. Pressure cook with a teaspoon of salt. Drain & reserve the liquid & set aside

In a blender, add all the ingredients except basil & pulse for a minute. scrape down the sides. Add a little bit of reserved liquid & pulse for another couple of minutes.

Add Basil & pulse until just minced. Add a bit of the reserved water if you want to thin down the hummus a bit.

Scoop into a serving bowl. Garnish with some more chilli flakes, olive oil & fresh basil.

Serve with Pita chips, fresh vegetables or slather them on crisp toasted bread.

NOTE:

Its not easy to find Tahini paste in India, but they are so easy to make. You can make fresh Tahini paste by toasting about 2 tbsp of white sesame seeds on low flame & then upon cooling, pulse them in a blender with about 3 tbsp of olive oil & it's done

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chickpea Recipes

Mixed Greens Saag | Saag Paneer | Chana Saag

I can't believe that it's almost the end of the year. For me, 2015 was a super fast one. I still feel Jan - Feb was just a few months ago & its already the end of December.

One of the good thing about 2015 was that I kind of managed to get my blogging mojo back & I hope it stays that way in 2016 as well.

We are going on a little holiday so, this is going to be my last post for 2015. So, I am here to share a favourite recipe - Mixed Greens Saag. I love anything that has greens in it. From Green Smoothies to a leafy Salad to a Green Rich Saag.

Saag is a great way to incorporate greens in our diet. You can use a variety of Greens based on your liking. Saag is a very versatile curry. It can be eaten plain along with Indian Breads or cook it with Paneer to make Saag Paneer, or with Chickpeas to make Chana Saag or even with potatoes to make Saag Aloo

To Make Saag - You Will Need:

2 Bunches Spinach
1 Bunch Methi Leaves
1 Bunch Green Amaranth Leaves
1 Bunch Mustard Greens (When in Season)
1 big Onion
1 Ripe Tomato
A small knob of ginger
7-8 cloves of garlic
2-3 Green Chilies
2 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt as per taste

How To:

Finely chop all the greens & wash them under running water. Set aside for the water to drain

Roughly chop the onions & tomatoes. Grate ginger & Slit the chilies lengthwise.

In a Pan, heat cooking oil. Add chilies, ginger & garlic & sauté for 30 seconds. Add the onions & sauté till they turn slightly pink in colour. Add the tomatoes & cook till the tomatoes are soft.

Add chopped greens & some salt & cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they slightly wilt. Turn off the heat & allow to cool.

Once, cool enough to handle, blend coarsely. Transfer back to the pan, add about 1/4 a cup of water, Add Garam Masala & bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. check for salt. Turn off the heat

To Make Saag Paneer:

You Will need about 200g of Paneer & about 2 cups of Saag

Dice the Paneer cubes & dunk them in salted warm water & let it stay for about 10 minutes. This makes the Paneer (especially Store Bought ones) stay soft

In a Kadhai, Add 2 cups of Saag & add the paneer cubes. If the Saag is too thick add very little water to adjust the consistency. Add salt if needed. Gently simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add juice of half a lime & mix well.

To Make Chana Saag:

You will need about Half a cup of Chana/Chickpeas & 2 cups of Saag

Clean & Soak Chickpeas in water overnight or for 6 hours. If I am short on time, I soak Chickpeas in Hot water for about 3 hours.

Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles in salted water.

In a Kadhai, Add 2 cups of Saag & Add cooked Chickpeas. If the Saag is too thick add very little water to adjust the consistency. Add salt if needed. Gently simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add juice of half a lime & mix well.

Serve with Hot Makai Rotis/Phulkas or any other Indian Bread of your liking. Add a bit of sliced onions on the side. Makes such a yummy meal

NOTE:

Any leftover Saag can be used to make Chapatis. Knead wheat flour along with Saag & make them like regular chapatis. Its a great way to sneak in some greens if your kids are fussy eaters

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chickpea Recipes

Chickpea & Raw Mango Salad

1 comments

, by Deepthi Shankar

Appetizers

Chane Ka Shorba | Indian Spiced Chickpea Soup

I am seriously done with restaurants that serve greasy & spice laden food in the name of Punjabi Cuisine. I didn't grow up eating Punjabi food, but I for sure know that what you get in such restaurants is not what is typically cooked in a Punjabi household. So, when I happen to visit a Punjabi restaurant, I am always on the lookout for something that has subtle flavours & is relatively less greasy. For how long can one enjoy the very rich Paneer Butter Masala & Butter or Butter Kulcha anyways?

We went out for dinner at this typical Punjabi restaurant many moons ago & I happened to order Chane ka Shorba - A delicately spiced Indian Chickpea Soup. It is not very often that I try to recreate what I order at fancy restaurants but then I fell in love with this shorba so I had to make this again.

This Shorba was originally made with Kaale Chane or Black Chickpeas. Since, I didn't have any on hand, I made use of the white one. I reckon, you can even use Sprouted Chickpeas.

Since, I didn't have a recipe on hand, this is loosely based on whatever my tastebuds could predict. But then, it was really really close to the original :)

You Will Need:

1/2 cup chickpeas - soaked overnight or for 8hrs
1 big onion - roughly chopped
2 medium sized tomatoes - roughly chopped
3 green chillies
1 tsp Everest Chole Masala
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 cup cream or 1/2 cup milk
Salt as per taste
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 tsp butter
2 cups water/vegetable stock
Fresh coriander for garnish

How To:

Pressure cook chickpeas, with a pinch of salt, until soft. Set aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan, heat butter. Splutter cumin seeds. Add onions & tomatoes along with green chillies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a couple of mins. Add Choley Masala & saute until the onions & tomatoes are soft & mushy. Set aside & allow it to cool
Blend together chicikpeas & the onion tomato mixture until smooth.
Strain into a soup pot. Add 2 cups of water/vegetable stock & heat it gently. Add Garam Masala, Salt to taste & cream. Simmer for about 10 mins on low heat.
If using milk instead of cream, reduce the amount of water/vegetable stock
Garnish with fresh coriander & Serve Hot

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Appetizers

Chickpea Soup

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Chickpea Recipes

Palak & Chana Pulao

After an overdose of all things mango, I made this over the weekend ... A simple Pulao with spinach & chickpeas ..

This is very simple to make, you don't even have to add chickpeas, I did because I had some leftover cooked chickpeas on hand & I didn't have any green peas in the pantry. But I loved the addition of chickpeas anyways .. And, I love the fresh green color that spinach lends ... Take a look

You Will Need:

4 bunches of spinach -
1/4 cup chickpeas - soaked overnight or for 6 hrs
1 cup Basmati rice
4 green chillies
2 onions - sliced lengthwise
3 -4 cloves
2 sticks of cinnamon
A small piece of ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Desi Ghee
Garlic - 3 cloves
Salt as per taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil

How To:

Wash basmati rice in several changes of water. Soak in water & set aside for 30 mins. Meanwhile, wash & clean spinach. Chop finely & blanch along with green chillies. Once cool, grind into a smooth paste along with ginger & garlic.
Pressure cook chickpeas with a little bit of salt & set aside.
In a pressure cooker, Heat a tsp of desi ghee, add drained basmati rice & saute until aromatic. Add 1 1/4 cups of water & pressure cook. Once cool, spread rice on a wide plate & set aside to cool
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add bay leaves, cloves & cinnamon. Add chopped onions & saute until they turn pink. To this add cooked chickpeas & add spinach paste & some salt. Cook on low flame for about 5 mins.
To this, add cooked rice, Garam Masala & mix well. Let it stand on low flame for about 5 mins for the flavours to absorb. Keep tossing in between so that the bottom doesn't get burnt
Add lemon juice & check for salt again. Give it a gentle mix.
Let it stand for about 5 mins.

Transfer to a serving bowl .. Serve with raita .. Enjoi !!!

NOTE: I am obsessed with making rice first & then mixing it with the prepared gravy .. But you can go ahead and add uncooked rice, water & pressure cook until done :) Its a lot more easier, I just don't know, why I can't get myself to do it ...