Black Chana Masala (Black Chickpea) Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
Black Chana Masala (Black Chickpea) Recipe
Description
This Black Chana Masala recipe begins by soaking dried black chickpeas overnight to soften them, then simmering until tender. Meanwhile, a flavorful base is prepared by finely mincing onions and cooking them with a pinch of baking soda to achieve a deep brown caramelization. Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and minced serrano chilies are added and cooked to form a fragrant, dark paste. Tomato paste is caramelized separately before incorporating ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and diced canned tomatoes.
The cooked chickpeas are combined with the spice mixture and cooked further to blend flavors into a thick, hearty curry with a robust aroma and balanced heat. Chopped cilantro and lemon juice finish the dish to provide freshness and brightness.
This masala pairs well with rice or flatbreads and serves as a nutritious vegetarian entrée. The detailed caramelization steps contribute to an intense flavor and depth, distinguishing this dish in texture and taste.
Preparation time notably excludes the overnight chickpea soaking, highlighting the need to plan ahead.
Ingredients
- 2 cups black chickpeas or 6 cups cooked black or regular chickpeas, dried
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 large onion finely minced
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 2 tablespoons ginger finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 serrano chili finely minced - remove seeds for a less spicy curry
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Coriander
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 28 ounce diced tomatoes canned
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- lemon juice of 1
Instructions
- Place the dried chickpeas in a large pot and fill it with water. Let it sit overnight on your counter, or for 8-24 hours. Drain the chickpeas and add fresh water to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let it cook until it's soft, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the baking soda to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is dark brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and chilis to the pan and cook until a dark brown paste forms, about 5 minutes more. (See the pictures in the post to see what it should look like.)
- Push this onion paste to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it caramelize until is smells sweet and darkens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the coriander, garam masala, and turmeric to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and gently break them up with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. You want some texture here, just not big chunks of tomatoes. Add the cooked chickpeas, sea salt, and a ½ cup of water to the pan and let it simmer for a half hour. If you're serving this with rice, now is the time to start cooking it.
- Season with extra sea salt if needed and then stir in the cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.
Notes
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight or 8–24 hours before cooking for best texture.
- The prep time does not include soaking time, so plan accordingly.
- Caramelizing the onions with baking soda is key to develop deep flavor in the masala base.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 339 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving = ⅙ of the recipe | |
| Calories | 339kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Sodium | 322mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 993mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 15g | 60% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 470IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 30mg | 33% |
| Calcium | 133mg | 13% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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