Kala Chana Dry Black Chickpeas My Food Story

on Oct 17, 2023 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 tenderPressure 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 fingersDon’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