Kala Chana Chaat

You all know about my love for Chana Chaat and Mixed Plate Chaat, but I do genuinely feel that Kalay Chanay don’t get the attention they deserve! I love this simple warm Kalay Chanay with some cold dahi baray, but I also love this nutty fun chaat and hope you do too!

What is Kala Chana?

Kala Chana of Black Chickpeas are a variety of chickpeas with a firmer darker exterior that even after cooking holds it’s shape. They are nutty tasting, with a pleasing earthy texture and a firmer bite than traditional chickpeas. They also pack a nutritional punch in terms of protein, fibre, iron, and magensium. In essence: they are yummy, and good for you.

Cooking / Prepping Kalay Chanay - Instant Pot & Stove Top

Like most legumes, no matter the cooking method, a little soaking goes a long way. Soaking improves not just the final texture but how easily the kalay chanay are digested. I typically recommend soaking for 6 hours or overnight.

Cooking Kala Chana in the Instant Pot:

For the Instant Pot for every cup of kalay chanay you want 2.5 cups of water and ¾ tbsp salt. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, turn it off and you can vent (release the pressure) after 15 minutes. Because of the amount of liquid in the pot if you do it sooner then you will end up with tons of steam!

Stovetop Kalay Chanay:

Soak your black chickpeas for 6-8 hours or overnight and then simmer stovetop for an hour. For every cup of chickpeas you want 2.5-3 cups water and ¾ tbsp of salt. Tip: Always boil more than you need and freeze the rest! They keep well in the freezer submerged in their cooking liquid for months!

Components of a Kala Chana Chaat:

For a chaat to be great you need two things: ingredients that are a combination of fresh, creamy, hearty, and flavours that are spicy, tangy, and a little sweet. Note: In resounding proof of my fallacy I made this chaat, photographed it, devoured it and then realized after that there was no papri or sev on it. I leave this as is so you know that if (like me) you were out of it then this still tastes incredibly good!

What makes this Chaat Different

I do like a traditional Kala Chana Chaat, and frankly if you make adjustments then this is that, but sometimes the combination of a little tweak and some artful rearranging is just what the heart wants. This chaat is different from the typical Kala Chana Chaat in three key ways 1.) The plating: Instead of mixing it all together I took a pretty dish and made layers of chaat. The overall effect is infinitely more pleasing to look at and when you take it out in your plate it all mixes anyway! 2.) The yoghurt: traditionally Kala Chana Chaat doesn’t have it. You are absolutely welcome to skip it, but I kept it because of it’s creamy freshness and slight sweetness. It adds great balance to the chaat! 3.) The pan roasted potatoes: Boiled potatoes work too, but I found myself thinking that given that these chanay have more attitude than typical chickpeas for chana chaat, perhaps it is time to add a little attitude to the potatoes. It was a zero regrets move!

A Note on Chutneys

The recipe I use for Imli ki Chutney is tangy, spicy, and sweet. It also has a bit of smokiness to it which adds interest to chaats. If you are using a store bought chutney then you will need to doctor your chana mix with a little chilli flakes (spice), zeera/cumin powder (smokiness), and salt (balance).