Simple Gluten Free Kitchen

Punjabi Kaale Chole (Black Chickpea Masala)

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Food, especially in winter has to be comforting! The first thing my husband asks me after he comes back from work is, ‘What’s for dinner today?’ I prepare meals that are comforting and satisfying to my family. And this particular chickpea curry hits the spot. It tastes so delicious and cozy that you want to eat it over and over again.

 

 

Punjabi kaale chole features Kala Chana, black chickpeas, or Bengal gram, a variety of chickpea that is loved throughout southeast Asia, especially in Punjab, the northern part of India. Being a Punjabi, I have grown up eating a lot of  “black, green and, beige Chole” dishes, especially the darker version. Thy are an excellent source of protein. They are also low in glycemic index and high in fiber which makes them perfect for a balanced healthy diet.

 

 

Black chickpeas are harder than the beige variety and require soaking and longer cooking time. They can take as long as 3+ hours to cook on the stove-top and 8+ hours in a slow cooker.  One can reduce some of the cooking time by cooking the black chickpeas in Instant Pot. I always soak mine overnight and cook beforehand and refrigerate or freeze it. Then it becomes simpler and quicker to make this curry even on a weekday. If you want to skip the couple hours of cooking (plus an overnight soak) then you can sub canned black chickpeas. They are available in Canada but I am not sure about other western countries. However, the other option is to purchase in Indian supermarkets or online on Amazon.

 

 

It’s an easy dish to make but to really nail the recipe you need to properly cook the masala and allow plenty of cooking time for the flavors to mingle. Trust me, it is going to be worth it!  Black chickpeas readily hold up to the long cooking time and give you a nice soft texture in every bite. The ingredients used in the masala are the same as in rajma (red kidney beans) or other curries but the taste varies.

 

 

Enjoy this Punjabi black chickpea curry this winter and wow your family with how simple it is to make a hearty and delicious family dinner. Serve it up over rice and a side salad.

 

Print
Instant Pot Punjabi Kaale Chole (Black Chickpea Masala)

Prep Time: 9 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Total Time: 10 hours, 40 minutes

Yield: 5-6 servings

Hearty and satisfying black chickpeas.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup dry black chickpeas
  • 1 cup ground onion
  • 1 cup fresh tomato puree
  • 1 heaped tbsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp garam masala

Instructions

  1. Wash black chickpeas and soak for it overnight in 3-4 cups of water. The chickpeas will increase in size when they are soaked.
  2. Drain the soaking water from chickpeas.
  3. Put drained beans along with salt into instant pot and cover with fresh cold water until the water is about 1" inch above the chickpeas.
  4. Cover, twist to lock the lid, and turn the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Once your Instant Pot has come to pressure, let it cook until the timer runs out. Then let the pressure release naturally.
  5. Remove chickpeas in a large bowl along with the broth.
  6. Wipe out the instant pot insert. Select sauté on normal. When hot add oil. Wait 1 minute add bay leaf. Fry for few seconds and then add ground onion and ginger garlic paste. Cook stirring.
  7. When the masala starts sticking to the pot add a splash of water. Then add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Fry for a minute.
  8. Next add tomato puree and let it cook for 5 -7 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, grind one cup of chickpeas with 1/2 cup water.
  10. Add ground chickpeas, boiled chickpeas with the broth (the water in which black chickpeas were cooked. it would be about 3 cups) and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro to the instant pot. Cancel sauté.
  11. Close the lid, set the valve on sealing. Select pressure cook mode and adjust the time to 20 minutes.
  12. Allow the pressure to release naturally. If the pin has not dropped after 20 minutes, release the pressure manually.
  13. Open the instant pot and add garam masala. Stir well and check the black chickpeas are cooked to desired doneness.
  14. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.
  15. Kale chole is ready to be served with rice or roti.
https://www.simpleglutenfreekitchen.com/2020/12/punjabi-kaale-chole-black-chickpea-masala.html

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I love chickpeas, although I rarely use the black ones. I really need to purchase some next time I’m at an Indian grocery, so I can make this. This is our kind of food — we really like to cook with dried pulses and legumes. Thanks!

    Reply

  5. i’ve not seen black chickpeas before. how interesting. we loooove the normall ones tho and eat them often. i used tin ones i’m afraid:) and i have lots of them in the pantry. great looking dish here balvinder.

    Reply

  6. What a hearty looking dish and so perfect for the chilly weather. I will have to visit an Indian market to try to find the black chickpea as I’ve never seen it in the regular stores. I’m very excited to try this flavorful recipe. We love Indian food!

    Reply

  8. Balvinder, I’ve never heard of black chickpeas! But this dish seems so enticing, I’m going to seek them out. My daughter, who is Vegan, is visiting for the holidays, and my vegan repetoire is waning quickly. So this recipe is perfect! Thanks!

    Reply

  9. Looks delicious ,love kaale chenna than the white onces. Your curry is surely tempting, this chole curry goes well with so many foods right? I like it to sandwich between breads. Thanks for sharing your version of the recipe , I would love to try it!

    Reply

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