Kala Chana Masala

This one pot dish brings together onions, tomatoes, black chickpeas and ground spices. This kala chana masala is healthy and is sure to give you a spoonful of yummy flavors.

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Kala Chana Masala

This one pot dish brings together onions, tomatoes, black chickpeas and ground spices. It's healthy and is sure to give you a spoonful of yummy flavors.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup kala (black) channa
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (pureed)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp chole masala powder
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1 tsp anardhana powder (powder made from dried pomegranate seeds)
• ½ tsp sugar (optional)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ cup oil
• salt to taste
• 2 cups water
• 1 tea bag (tea leaves give dark color to channa)

Instructions

• Thoroughly wash chickpeas and add to a slow cooker. Add water and tea bag to cooker.
• Cook on high for 8 hours. Remove the tea bag after 1 hour.
• After 8 hours, check to see if chickpeas are cooked. If not, cook for a little longer and set aside.
• Add oil in a heavy bottom pan. When hot add cumin seeds.
• When cumin seeds turn golden brown add onion and saute until raw smell fades.
• Then add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell fades.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chole masala, chili powder, and tomato puree. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Add salt, garam masala and anardhana powder.
• Cook until raw smell fades and masala no longer stick to the sides of the pan.
• Coarsely grind ¼ cup of cooked chickpeas in a food processor or using a masher and set aside.
• Add the remaining cooked chickpeas to the pan and mix.
• Add the ground chickpeas to the pan. Mix well and adjust spice and salt as needed.
• Add water if masala is too thick.
• Add kasuri methi and sugar. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve hot with naan or roti.

Notes

• To cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker: Soak black chickpeas in water for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.