Dry Kala Chana (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
Dry Black Chickpeas or Sukha Kala Chana is an easy Indian dish made during the festival of Navratri. Make it in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. It is vegan, gluten-free, and high in protein.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana) rinsed & soaked in water for 6+ hours
- 1 cup Water for cooking
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Green Chili Pepper diced, optional
- 2 teaspoon Ginger freshly grated, optional
- 2 teaspoon Dry Mango powder (Amchur) or lime juice
- 1/4 cup Cilantro to garnish
Spices
- 2 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder)
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne or Red Chili powder adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Soaking Kala Chana
- Wash the dry kala chana under running cold water until the water runs clear. Then soak in enough water (about 3 inches above the chana) for at least 6 hours or overnight. After the soaking time is done, discard the water.Note: If you forget to soak overnight, soak in hot water for 1-2 hours.
Instant Pot Method (One-pot)
- Start the pressure cooker in Sauté mode and let it heat. Add oil and cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter for about 30 seconds.
- Add the spices and mix them with the oil. Quickly add the soaked black chickpeas and mix them with the spices (quickly, so the spices don't burn being in the hot oil for long).
- Stir in the water for cooking. Press cancel, then close the lid with the vent in sealing position.
- Cook in manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 30 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, do a natural pressure release.
- Add dry mango powder and mix it well with the kala chana. If there is liquid in the pot, you can put it on sauté mode again to dry it. It will also dry off as the chana cool down.
- Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy dry kala chana with the puri and halwa. Another great way to enjoy these is as a high-protein salad. Add diced onions, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Other add-ons that work great are diced mango or avocado.
Stovetop Method
- Drain chickpeas and add them to a pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas in a stovetop pressure cooker on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 20-22 minutes (6-7 whistles). Allow the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid.Instant Pot Method: Pressure cook for 30 minutes on high pressure. Then do a natural pressure release.
- Drain the chickpeas, but reserve the liquid. It can be used in roti dough or dals. We will also use some later when sautéing.
- Add all the spices and dry mango powder to a small bowl and mix them with 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, and add cumin seeds to it. Let them sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the diced green chili and ginger, if using.
- Add the drained chickpeas and half a cup of the reserved water. Add the spice mixture and give it all a good mix.
- Let the chickpeas cook for 5-7 minutes, then take them off the heat. The water will all be absorbed by this time.
- Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy sookha kala chana with the puri and halwa, or with dal, rice, and roti.
Video
Notes
Soaking: Make sure to soak the kala chana for at least 6-8 hours, or overnight. If you forget to soak, soak in hot water for 1-2 hours. If that is not possible, pressure cook the chana for 45-50 minutes.
Check if cooked well: If, after cooking, the kala chana are not soft (check by pressing between your thumb and index finger, and it should mash easily), then pressure cook again for 8-10 minutes. You can also add a pinch of baking soda, which will help to soften the kala chana.
Additions: You can add curry leaves to the tempering, along with kasoori methi or grated coconut at the end.
Using canned or pre-cooked black chickpeas: If using pre-cooked chickpeas, pressure-cook for just 5 minutes for the Instant Pot method. If you are making it on the stovetop, skip the pressure cooking steps, as the kala chana is already cooked.
Nutrition
Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg