Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas are a hearty, wholesome legume. Here the classic chaat gets a makeover with an ingredient glow up and the prettiest plating! Read on to see how to make a beautiful, delicious, Kala Chana Chaat!
You all know about my love for Chana Chaat and Mixed Plate Chaat, but I do genuinely feel that Kalay Chanay don't get the attention they deserve! I love this simple warm Kalay Chanay with some cold dahi baray, but I also love this nutty fun chaat and hope you do too!
What is Kala Chana?
Kala Chana of Black Chickpeas are a variety of chickpeas with a firmer darker exterior that even after cooking holds it's shape. They are nutty tasting, with a pleasing earthy texture and a firmer bite than traditional chickpeas. They also pack a nutritional punch in terms of protein, fibre, iron, and magensium.
In essence: they are yummy, and good for you.
Cooking / Prepping Kalay Chanay - Instant Pot & Stove Top
Like most legumes, no matter the cooking method, a little soaking goes a long way. Soaking improves not just the final texture but how easily the kalay chanay are digested. I typically recommend soaking for 6 hours or overnight.
Cooking Kala Chana in the Instant Pot:
For the Instant Pot for every cup of kalay chanay you want 2.5 cups of water and ¾ tbsp salt. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, turn it off and you can vent (release the pressure) after 15 minutes. Because of the amount of liquid in the pot if you do it sooner then you will end up with tons of steam!
Stovetop Kalay Chanay:
Soak your black chickpeas for 6-8 hours or overnight and then simmer stovetop for an hour. For every cup of chickpeas you want 2.5-3 cups water and ¾ tbsp of salt.
Tip: Always boil more than you need and freeze the rest! They keep well in the freezer submerged in their cooking liquid for months!
Components of a Kala Chana Chaat:
For a chaat to be great you need two things: ingredients that are a combination of fresh, creamy, hearty, and flavours that are spicy, tangy, and a little sweet.
Note: In resounding proof of my fallacy I made this chaat, photographed it, devoured it and then realized after that there was no papri or sev on it. I leave this as is so you know that if (like me) you were out of it then this still tastes incredibly good!
What makes this Chaat Different
I do like a traditional Kala Chana Chaat, and frankly if you make adjustments then this is that, but sometimes the combination of a little tweak and some artful rearranging is just what the heart wants. This chaat is different from the typical Kala Chana Chaat in three key ways
1.) The plating: Instead of mixing it all together I took a pretty dish and made layers of chaat. The overall effect is infinitely more pleasing to look at and when you take it out in your plate it all mixes anyway!
2.) The yoghurt: traditionally Kala Chana Chaat doesn't have it. You are absolutely welcome to skip it, but I kept it because of it's creamy freshness and slight sweetness. It adds great balance to the chaat!
3.) The pan roasted potatoes: Boiled potatoes work too, but I found myself thinking that given that these chanay have more attitude than typical chickpeas for chana chaat, perhaps it is time to add a little attitude to the potatoes. It was a zero regrets move!
A Note on Chutneys
The recipe I use for Imli ki Chutney is tangy, spicy, and sweet. It also has a bit of smokiness to it which adds interest to chaats. If you are using a store bought chutney then you will need to doctor your chana mix with a little chilli flakes (spice), zeera/cumin powder (smokiness), and salt (balance).
Other Chaat Recipes:
Made it? Have a question? Leave your comments (and ratings!) below and don't forget to tag me in your recreations on Instagram @flourandspiceblog
Kala Chana Chaat
Ingredients
Chana Mix
- 1.5 cups cooked kaalay chanay (instructions in post)
- ¼ cup imli chutney (can increase for a saucier mix)
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (if your chutney is sweet)
- 1 tsp cumin powder (if your chutney is sweet)
- ½ tsp salt (if your chutney is sweet)
Potatoes
- 2 medium boiled potatoes
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- ¾-1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp zeera (cumin) powder (optional)
Yoghurt Mix
- 1.5 cup yoghurt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Layering
- 1 diced onion
- 1-2 diced tomatoes
- minced green chilies
- chopped cilantro/coriander
- chaat masala
- chilli flakes
- sev or papri
- additional chutney for drizzling
Masala Mix (Optional)
- ¾ tsp red chili flakes (omit the ones above then)
- ¾ tsp roasted coriander
- ¾ tsp roasted cumin
- a pinch of ajwain (carom seeds)
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the kala chana and set aside
- Whisk the yoghurt ingredients until combined and smooth
- Dice your boiled potatoes
- Heat a little oil in a pan and add in your potatoes, the garlic, and salt, sauteeing on medium heat until the potatoes start to develop bronzey bits.
- Add the chili powder and cumin powder, cook for another half a minute and take off the heat.
- Layering: Build a base with your sweetened yoghurt, then carefully spoon the kalay chanay on top, followed by the potatoes, the tomatoes, the onions and then cilantro and chilies.
- Scatter chaat masala over and an additional drizzle of tamarind chutney. Add papri or sev right before serving, but know it is delightful without!
Notes
- Make ahead: the potatoes do lose their crunch as they sit, but not their flavour so if making ahead works for you then go for it!
- The tamarind chutney I use is this recipe. For that recipe or any tangy spicy one you don't need to add anything, but most storebought chutneys are sweet and require a little help here
- How much yoghurt you use will depend on your dish. Mine is narrow, but for a larger surface dollop the the yoghurt on the outside first and then place the chana chaat fixings in the middle.
- For a more traditional kala chana chaat make the following adjustments:
omit yoghurt, don't sauté the potatoes (or skip them!), double the imli chutney
Nida says
this was DELICIOUS!! I've been religiously making your recipes for the past week and I've NEVER gotten so many compliments on my cooking before from my family!! I don't know how you come up with these recipes but keep it up!!
Your posts are so funny and relatable too!!!
Thank you for sharing!!
ps. you should literally get an award or something for this dishes!!
Sarah Mir says
I feel like that review was a straight up award because you were so so kind! thank you for making this recipe and my day!
Kathy says
You are so pretty. I would love a recipe for Karachi style Biryani
Sarah Mir says
Thanks Kathy! I have a Pakistani Chicken Biryani on my website
https://www.flourandspiceblog.com/authentic-pakistani-chicken-biryani-simplified/