Kala Chana Masala is a delicious vegan Indian curry made with a unique ingredient, black chickpeas! Black chickpeas are nuttier and firmer than traditional garbanzo beans, making this a one of a kind dish. Serve it spicy with plenty of serrano peppers with basmati rice!!
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.
Notes
Instant Pot InstructionsOn Sauté mode, add the olive oil and bloom the cumin seeds for a minute. 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. At this point, pour in 3 tablespoons of hot water to form a gravy. Add in the chickpeas, and then 1.5 cups of water. Give it a good stir, and then cover the Instant Pot and set it to bean/chili mode for 40 minutes. Release the steam and open the Instant Pot. Spritz lemon juice and serve with chopped cilantro. To make it super rich, add a tablespoon of ghee to finish.