Kala Chana

Kala (black) Chana is a variation of the commonly found chickpea (garbanzo bean) but it is dark brown in color and smaller in size. Today’s recipe aside from being totally delish… 😋 is also rich in protein, fiber and iron content. Very healthy! This can be prepared for brunch or even lunch and paired with rice, roti, paratha, naan etc.

As you all know I am all for simple recipes, kala chana along with some seasoning, fresh cilantro and lemon juice is a perfect option to go with if you are looking for something quick and easy, yet healthy.

Before you begin with this recipe, you will need to soak kala chana overnight in lukewarm water and boil with a little salt untill it can be easily pressed between your thumb and index finger. This process is pretty much a standard before you cook any legume (kidney bean, green lentils, garbanzo (chana) bean etc.). Since I personally prefer vegetarian options, legumes and lentils are my protein sources on a regular basis.

Ingredients

1 cup kala chana, soaked overnight and boiled with a little salt untill soft
1 tbspn olive oil (or any cooking oil you prefer)
3/4 tspn cumin seeds
2 tspn corriander powder
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1/2 tspn red chilli powder
1/2 tspn garam masala
1/2-3/4 tspn salt (adjust to taste)
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 tspn lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Note: You can skip the red chilli powder if you want to adjust the heat

Method

Make sure you have prepped the chana before proceeding with the directions below.

Prepping chana: Soak 1 cup kala chana overnight in lukewarm water. Strain the chana and throw the water in which you soaked them. Take fresh water, add a 1/2 tspn salt and boil the chana untill it is soft. Once done, strain the excess water and keep boiled chana on the side.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil on high
Once heated, reduce the heat to medium and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter
Now add turmeric powder, green chillies and a spoon full of boiled chana to the pan. Mix everything well
Add red chilli powder, corriander powder, garam masala and remaining kala chana in the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Sauté everything for 2 minutes
Reduce the heat to simmer and add garam masala to chana. Mix well and cover for 1 minute
After a minute, turn the heat off. Taste and adjust salt since we had put a little while boiling the chana. You might want to a add just a tad bit.
Add cilantro and lemon juice to finish. Give everything a gentle mix and serve hot!

You can also prepare kala chana and refrigerate up 2-3 days. When you feel like snacking, just heat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and enjoy this even as an afternoon snack. This is such a good option to snack on rather than chips and cookies.