Punjabi Kala Chana Masala | Spicy Black Chickpea Curry

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Punjabi Kala Chana Masala is a popular recipe from North India. Healthy, delicious and vegan, it is made with black chickpeas that are soaked overnight, boiled the next morning and thereafter simmered in a delectable onion-tomato gravy. Served with plain steamed rice, it makes for a hearty and comforting meal.

   






Growing up, making this delicious curry recipe was a kind of every Saturday affair at our home because of its black color (as per Hindu mythological legends, black is the color of Shani Dev and since Saturday is the day of Shani Dev, making something black in food is considered auspicious.... and besides our home, if you go to any Punjabi household on a Saturday, there are 90% chances that you would get this Kala Chana Masala served for lunch). The ritual is still being continued till date and my Mum would specifically remember to soak the black chanas on Friday night. And let me tell you, if somehow she forgets, she would soak the chanas in hot water on Saturday morning so that they get softened in 3 to 4 hours and Chana Masala can be made by the lunch time.

While this Punjabi Kala Chana Masala is a regular recipe made at our home during weekends, there is another variety of Sookha Kala Chana or the Dry Black Chickpeas, which are commonly made on the day of Ashtami during the festival of Navratri. Served along with Poori and Sooji Halwa, it is yet another blissful meal that we thoroughly enjoy to our heart's core.






INGREDIENTS






METHOD

  • Wash and soak the chana overnight in 3 to 4 cups of water.
  • Next morning, drain the water from chana and add in 3 to 4 cups of fresh water to chana.
  • Pressure cook the chana with some salt for 8 to 10 whistles on medium flame or until the chana are completely soft.
  • While the chana is being cooked, make the gravy masala.
  • In a pan or a kadhai, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil.
  • Add in cumin seeds and bay leaves.
  • Blend the onions to a paste.
  • Add this onion paste to the oil once the cumin seeds sizzle.
  • Saute the onions until nice golden brown on medium flame. Add in ginger, garlic and green chili paste.
  • Fry for 20 to 30 seconds on low heat.
  • Next, season with salt and other spice powders except garam masala and kasoori methi.
  • Splash a little water so that masalas don't burn.
  • Cook for a minute. You would see specks of oil which means dry spices are cooked. Now add the tomato puree. Give a nice stir.
  • Cover and cook the masala until oil separates.
  • Add the masala in the boiled chickpeas, adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding a little water if needed.
  • Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on low flame.
  • Let the cooker depressurize naturally. Open and add in kasoori methi and garam masala.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice. They also go well with chapati and paratha.  





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