Kala Chana Masala is a hearty North Indian black chickpea curry simmered in a richly spiced onion-tomato gravy. Black chickpeas are nuttier and firmer than traditional garbanzo beans, which allows them to hold their texture while soaking up tons of flavor. Serve it with basmati rice or roti for a cozy meal!
This is the kind of simple chana curry I love for a cozy dinner - it's inexpensive, filling, naturally vegan, and tastes even better after the flavors have had a few hours to develop. A bowl of black chickpea curry is warm, hearty, and super nutritious making it perfect for cold weather days.
Ever seen black chickpeas?? Safe to say they're incredibly underrated and make for delicious curries and even chaat! If you're looking for a similar curry made with the larger, creamier chickpeas that you typically find at the grocery store, try my Chole next!
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Naturally vegan: The curry itself doesn't need dairy, ghee can be an optional finish for extra richness.
- Perfect for meal prep: The flavor gets even better after resting overnight.
- Great texture: Kala chana stays pleasantly firm instead of becoming mushy like canned chickpeas.
What is Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas)?
Kala is the color black in Hindi, and chana means chickpeas. Kala chana, also called black chickpeas, brown chickpeas, or desi chickpeas, are a smaller variety of chickpea commonly used in Indian cooking.
Kala chana are smaller with a dark brown exterior and thicker skin compared to larger chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, commonly found dried or canned in grocery stores. When cooked, they have a firmer texture and an earthy, nutty flavor. They should become tender all the way through while still holding their shape rather than turning soft and creamy like regular garbanzo beans which squish easily.
Dried kala chana can be harder to find at standard grocery stores, but they're readily available at Indian grocery stores and online. They can be used in all the same ways as the traditional bean, i.e. falafel, salad, chaat, and curries.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
- Black chickpeas - This bean is much less common than the traditional garbanzo bean, but most Indian grocery stores will carry dried kala chana.
- Aromatics - Ginger garlic paste is a staple in Indian cooking. Substitute it with finely minced garlic and ginger in a 1-to-1 ratio or try this homemade ginger garlic paste recipe.
- Serrano pepper - Imparts a ton of flavor and makes the dish just a bit spicy. Use 1 for moderate heat, or remove the seeds to adjust the spice level.
- Tomato and onion - Add freshness and form the base of the curry. Use a beefsteak tomato or anything similar, and a yellow or white onion.
- Spices - Cumin seeds (jeera) are bloomed in hot oil at the beginning of the recipe to add a warm, earthy flavor. I prefer whole cumin seeds here, but you can substitute ½ teaspoon ground cumin in a pinch. Ground coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala layer even more warmth and complexity into the onion-tomato gravy.
- Asafoetida (optional) - Hing has a pungent aroma straight from the container, but once bloomed in oil, it adds a savory onion and garlic-like depth to the curry. You can find it at Indian grocery stores. If you're gluten-free, check the ingredients carefully because some brands are blended with wheat flour.
- Lemon juice - Don't skip the fresh lemon juice at the end! The acidity brightens the earthy, nutty flavors of the kala chana and balances the warm spices.
How to Make Black Chickpea Curry
You can make Kala Chana Masala on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. The Instant Pot significantly cuts down cooking time, but I love the stovetop method when I'm not in a rush. A Dutch oven works really well because it maintains a steady heat to slowly cook the chickpeas in the spices until tender.
Start by soaking the black chickpeas in a large bowl and covering it with twice the amount of water. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. They'll expand considerably as they hydrate, so use plenty of water. Drain and rinse before cooking. Older dried chickpeas can take significantly longer to soften.
To make it on a stovetop:
- Sauté the aromatics. Start by the sautéing the aromatics - the cumin seeds, onion, and serrano pepper. First, toast the cumin seeds in olive oil until they begin popping after about a minute. Then, add the onions and serrano peppers and fry until they are fragrant and start to sweat.
- Make the gravy. Next, add the diced tomato, ginger garlic paste, and the spices. Stir everything together really well and allow it to simmer until the tomatoes start to break down and soften, about 4 or 5 minutes. You may need to add up to 3 tablespoons of hot water so that you end up with a loose gravy. The oil starts to separate around the edges as well.
- Simmer until the chana are tender. Once you've made the masala, add the chickpeas and toast them for about a minute while stirring. Then, add about 1.5 - 2 cups of water to start with. Simmer the curry for about an hour until the chickpeas are soft and tender. Keep in mind, the shell of black chickpeas is tougher than regular chickpeas so they won't squish as easily. Add a ¼ cup of water at a time as the water levels start to get low. You should end up with a luscious, flavorful curry.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add the olive oil and bloom the cumin seeds for a minute until fragrant and sizzling.
- Add the onions and serrano peppers and fry until they begin to sweat.
- Then, add the diced tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, and spices and give it a good stir. Allow them to simmer until the tomatoes soften and breakdown. Add a splash of water if anything begins sticking to the bottom.
- Once the oil starts to separate on the edges, pour in 3 tablespoons of hot water to form a gravy.
- Add the soaked and drained black chickpeas, and then 1.5 cups of water. Give it a good stir, and then secure the lid of the Instant Pot and set it to bean/chili mode or High Pressure for 40 minutes.
- Allow to pressure to naturally release before opening the valve and the lid. Check that the kala chana are tender all the way through. If necessary, pressure cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- Spritz lemon juice and serve with chopped cilantro. To make it super rich, add a tablespoon of ghee to finish.
How to Serve and Store
For an easy weeknight dinner, Kala Chana is best served hot with rice, roti, bhatura, or paratha. I love an additional spritz of lemon, serrano peppers for a bit more spice, aam achaar (pickled mango), and a whole lot of cilantro. It would also be great with Aloo Methi Sabji as a side.
I love meal prepping it for dinners as well. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, simmer it in a pot on a stovetop for 5 minutes, or microwave for 2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kala chana can take longer to cook depending on how old the dried chickpeas are. If they're still firm, continue simmering with enough hot water to keep them submerged until they're tender. Properly soaking the chickpeas overnight also helps them cook more evenly.
They should be tender all the way through when bitten but retain the shape. They won't be soft or creamy like regular chickpeas.
Smash a few chickpeas into the gravy and simmer uncovered.
If you can find it, absolutely. It will significantly cut down the cook time. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the prepared masala. Cook long enough for them to absorb the flavors and thicken the curry.
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Kala Chana Masala (Black Chickpea Curry)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ lbs black chickpeas
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 serrano pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 large tomato, diced
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- salt, to taste
- pinch of asafoetida, optional
- water, as required
- 1 tsbp lemon juice
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, pour in the black chickpeas. Cover it with twice the volume of water and allow the chickpeas to soak water overnight or for 4-6 hours. They'll soften and double in size. Drain and rinse the chickpeas when ready for use.
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven to medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute or until they start to pop in the oil. Add in the diced onion and serrano peppers and fry them until they start to sweat. At this point, add the diced tomato and ginger garlic paste.
- Add the coriander powder, ground turmeric, garam masala, salt, and asafoetida. Give everything a good stir and allow it to simmer until the tomatoes soften and break down. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water. You'll end up with a loose gravy once it's done.
- Add in the black chickpeas and stir it into the gravy so it's well coated. Sauté for a minute, and then add 1.5 - 2 cups of warm water. Turn the heat on low to medium and cover the pot. Simmer the chickpeas for an hour, adding ¼ cup of hot water at a time if the water levels are too low.
- The curry is done when the black chickpeas are tender and the curry has thickened. Remember, they'll be tougher than regular chickpeas but should be soft to bite into. Spritz lemon juice and add chopped cilantro. To make it super rich, add a tablespoon of ghee to finish. Serve over rice or with roti.
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