Sookha kala chana masala was one of my favorite food growing up. I was a picky eater when I was little. My mom would make a variety of foods for me hoping that I would eat them. Life is a full circle. My younger daughter is a picky eater. One of the most challenging things about cooking for little people is trying to figure great meal alternatives kids in your life will like. When I got this recipe from my mom, I wasn’t sure if my kids would like it. To my surprise, my kids loved the Instant Pot Sookha Chana.
This recipe is also known as Dry Brown Chickpea / Punjabi Sookha Chana / Sookha Kala Chana Masala.
No matter when I make this recipe, it has always been a success. Whenever I serve kala chana, people ask for the recipe.
This recipe does not use onions or tomatoes and is typically made during Durga Ashtami, where believers of Goddess Durga offer prayers to her. It is typically paired with puri (unleavened deep-fried bread), and sooji halwa (semolina pudding).
And it is made in an Instant Pot.
What is Kala Chana?
Chickpea commonly found in the US, are known as garbanzo beans, Kabuli chana or white chana. Kala chana have the same shape as the garbanzo bean but are smaller, and are brownish black in color. They are known as black chickpea or brown chickpea. They have a nutty, buttery taste and have a thick skin. It doesn’t break down quickly. It takes longer to cook as compared to its white counterpart. Even when fully cooked, it will never be as soft as other lentils or beans. Please keep that in mind while cooking it. You may think it is hard and undone, however, it is delicious.
Where can I find brown/black chickpea?
In Indian grocery stores in the beans aisle or on Amazon.
How do I make Instant Pot Sookha Chana – Punjabi Kala Chana Masala?
Rinse the dried brown chickpea well. Soak them in 2.5 cups water overnight.
When ready to cook, discard the water that was used to soak the chickpeas. Select sauté on the instant pot. Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and bay leaves.
When the cumin seeds begin to splutter in about 30 seconds to a minute add Kashmiri chili powder and 1/4 cup water. Give it a good stir.
Then add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, and salt. Give it a good stir. Add the chickpea and 1/2 cup water. Give it a good stir. Select cancel.
Secure the lid on the pot. Select manual and cook at high pressure for 60 minutes. When cooking is complete, use natural pressure release to depressurize.
Add garam masala, mango powder, and pomegranate powder. Garnish with cilantro. If there is excess water, select saute until the water reduces. Transfer in a serving bowl. Discard the bay leaves.
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Here are some other fun recipes for you to try.
Instant Pot Potato, Green Beans and Bell Pepper Curry / Instant Pot Aloo, Beans and Capsicum
Instant Pot Murg Cholay Masala / Instant Pot Murg Chana Masala / Instant Pot Chicken Chickpea Curry
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Instant Pot Sookha Chana – Punjabi Kala Chana Masala
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp oil of choice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 2 dried bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 and 1/4 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
- 3/4 cup water (divided)
- 1/2 tbsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 1 tbsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried brown chickpeas (kaala chana soaked overnight in 2.5 cups water)
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tbsp mango powder (amchur/amchoor powder)
- 1/2 tsp pomegranate powder (anardana powder)
- 2 tbsp cilantro (rinsed and finely chopped)
Instructions
- Discard the water that was used to soak the chickpea overnight.
- Select sauté on the instant pot. Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and bay leaves.
- When the cumin seeds begin to splutter in about 30 seconds to a minute add Kashmiri chili powder and 1/4 cup water. Give it a good stir.
- Add ground cumin, ground ginger, ground coriander, and salt. Give it a good stir. Add the chickpea and 1/2 cup water. Give it a good stir. Select cancel.
- Secure the lid on the pot. Select manual and cook at high pressure for 60 minutes. When cooking is complete, use natural pressure release to depressurize.
- Add garam masala, mango powder, and pomegranate powder. Granish with cilantro. If there is excess water, select saute until the water reduces. Transfer the cooked kala chana in a serving bowl. Discard the bay leaves.
- Serve hot with puris, rice, or tortilla.
Notes
- On a scale of 1 to 5, in terms of spice levels, I would place this dish at a 2.5 in terms of heat.
- Kala chana tends to be hard even when pressure cooked as compared to garbanzo beans, or other lentils.
- Tip: Add a pinch of baking soda to soften the chana while pressure cooking. Sometimes if the chana is old it takes a long time to cook and baking soda helps soften it.
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