Kadai Kala Chana (No Onion No Garlic)
Kadai Kala Chana is a no-onion, no-garlic curry made with homemade Kadai Masala. This semi-dry, protein-rich Indian vegan dish is flavorful, healthy, wholesome, and satisfying, making it perfect as a side dish or salad bowl.
Servings: 3
Ingredients
For Cooking the Kala Chana
- ½ cup dry kala chana (black Chickpeas)
- 2 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 5-6 dry Amla
For Kadai Kala Chana
- 2 teaspoon oil or ghee
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon green chili paste (or to add to taste)
- 2 teaspoon ginger paste
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Kadai Masala (or add to taste)
- Boiled chana
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
Cooking the Chana
- Soak the chana overnight or for at least 8 hours. Then drain the water and transfer the soaked chana into a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water, dry amla, and salt.
- Pressure-cook the chana for 7-8 whistles or until completely cooked. Once cooked, remove the amla. Drain the chana and reserve the stock water to use it as needed.
Making the Kadai Kala Chana
- Heat oil in a kadai or pan, and add cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds sizzle, then add the green chili paste, ginger paste, and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Add tomatoes and mix well. Then, add a pinch of salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Mix well and cook the tomato mixture for 4-5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft.
- Add one tablespoon of Kadai Masala and mix well. Depending on how spicy your Kadai Masala is, add more or less to taste.
- Cook the tomato mixture until it is thick and most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring frequently. It will take about 7-8 minutes.
- Now add drained chana and ½ to ¾ cup of stock water. Mix well and continue cooking over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Kadai Kala Chana is semi-dry to dry, but if you prefer it with more liquid, add more stock water and adjust the spices.
- Once the kala chana is well coated in the tomato masala, finish with chopped coriander leaves. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve Kadai Kala Chana with roti, poori, paratha, or jeera rice.
- Toss with chopped bell peppers and cucumbers for a salad bowl.
- Serve as a side dish with dal and rice.
Storing Suggestions
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- Reheat with a splash of water to refresh the masala.
Notes
- Soaking Chana: Always soak kala chana for at least 8 hours or overnight. Under-soaked chana may remain hard even after pressure cooking.
- Dry Amla: Adds flavor and imparts a dark color to the curry. If you have them, try not to skip. If unavailable, add ½ teaspoon of amchur powder at the end, or squeeze lemon juice to taste.
- Cooked Chana Stock: Do not discard; it is required for the recipe. Add it as required while cooking the Kadai Kala Chana.
- Cooking the Gravy: Cook the tomato mixture well, since there is no onion or garlic; thoroughly cooking the tomato masala is crucial for depth.
- Kadai Masala: Use this Kadai Masala recipe for making this spice blend at home. If you add hot dried chilies while making it, your spice blend will be spicier. Add it carefully, or add it gradually and adjust to taste.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 141kcalCarbohydrates : 20gProtein : 5gFat : 4gSaturated Fat : 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 2gTrans Fat : 0.01gSodium : 23mgPotassium : 348mgFiber : 2gSugar : 1gVitamin A : 459IUVitamin C : 7mgCalcium : 73mgIron : 2mg
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