Kala Chana in Kadai Masala is made with freshly ground spices, and it is without onion and garlic. The recipe is easy and makes a healthy, filling, and protein-packed dish!
Kala Chana, or black chickpea curry, is very popular all over India. And I have given a twist to this traditional curry by using homemade kadai masala. This spicy, tangy, and delicious Kadai Kala Chana can be enjoyed as salad, side, or with Roti.
About Kala Chana in Kadai Masala
Generally, this curry is made with regular masala or with chole masala. Whenever I make kadai paneer, I always make kadai masala at home. So I have already decided to use it for chickpeas. But somehow, I ended up making it with black chickpeas, and it was awesome. I simply loved it, and so I decided to share it here with all of you.
I have not used all the whole spices which I use to make kadai paneer. Because this recipe is for Chana, I chose spices that go well with it.
Making homemade masala is not difficult at all. In fact, the aroma of spices in your kitchen will encourage you to make it more often.
Other than kadai masala, ginger will also enhance the flavor of this chana recipe. So I would suggest using the same amount of ginger as suggested. Kadai masala can be used as per your taste. If your dry red chili is not too spicy, then if you like, use kadai masala more than suggested.
Because we need little coarse kadai masala for this recipe, I have used mortar and pastels to pound the masala. However, you can grind in a grinder jar, but just make sure to keep it a little coarse.
This recipe is not too spicy, but you can adjust green chili or red chili powder as per your taste. Kala Chana in Kadai Masala has not too much gravy. As most of the kadai dishes are on the little dryer side, that is how it is.
But if you want to make it with more gravy, I would suggest adding ¼ cup of tomato puree along with water.
More Chickpea Recipes
You May Like More Curry Recipes
- Amritsari Chole No Onion No Garlic
- Kala Chana Masala / No Onion No Garlic – Instant Pot & Stove Top
- Dum Aloo (No Onion No Garlic) / Punjabi Dum Aloo
- Aloo Gobi (No Onion No Garlic) / Cauliflower and Potato Curry
- Paneer Bhurji (No Onion No Garlic) / Easy Paneer Bhurji Recipe
Recipe Card
Kala Chana in Kadai Masala / Kadai Kala Chana
Ingredients
- 1 Cup dry kala chana (black Chickpeas)
- Salt to taste
- 5-6 Dry Amla
- 1 Tea bag (optional)
For Kadai Masala:
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorn
- 2 Dry red chillies
- 3 Green cardamoms
For Kala Chana in Kadai Masala:
- 2 Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 Green chilli slitted
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger or paste
- 2 teaspoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida / Hing
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoon kadai masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Soak chana overnight or for at least 8hours. Then in pressure cooker take chana with enough water and add dry Amla, tea bag if using and add salt as needed. Cook chana for 6-7 whistles or until completely cooked. Once cooked, let it cool and drain water and remove tea bag and Amla.
For Kadai Masala:
- Dry roast all the masala together for about 3 minutes and then let it cool. Pound these masala into mortar and pastel or grind in the blender jar until lightly coarse. Do not grind to fine powder.
Making Kala Chana in Kadai Masala
- In a kadai or pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, once it turns color add asafoetida, green chilli and chopped ginger. Sauté for a minute and add chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
- Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook for 3-4 minutes. Once tomatoes are soft and pulpy just like gravy add kadai masala and boiled chana. Mix well and add 1 cup of water, mix and cover the pan.
- Cook further on low flame for 6-8 minutes or until desire consistency of gravy is obtained. There will be not too much of gravy. This kala chana will be little on dryer side.
- Turn off the heat, take out in the serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.
Anonymous says
Verygoodna
Anonymous says
I just started cooking no onion no garlic recipes. Hope I landed into the best recipes for my search. Thank you so much. ???
Jigna says
Hi, thanks for stopping by here to look for no onion, no garlic recipes. I hope you will like it and will continue cooking without onion and garlic with vegehomecooking. Thanks again.?