The black chickpeas (sukhe kale chane) recipe is a protein-packed, gluten-free dish that pairs perfectly with rice, bread, or parathas for a wholesome, complete meal.
Packed with protein and fiber, chickpeas make the perfect base for both savory meals and sweet treats. Try sweet roasted chickpea balls for an energy-boosting snack!
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Black chickpeas are rich in fiber and protein, making them a wholesome addition to any meal. Boil a large batch ahead of time and freeze them for quick use in salads, chaats, soups, or snacks whenever you like.
Sukhe kale chane (Kala Chana) is a simple and easy recipe that requires stir-frying boiled black chickpeas with Indian spices, making them flavourful and yummy. Sukhe is a Hindi term that means dry, i.e., it is cooked without gravy and served as dry (without curry).
Just like this dry chickpea, my dry white lentils recipe is also rich in plant protein, fiber, and perfect for a wholesome meal prep option!
Reasons to try this kala chana recipe
- Minimal prep - no chopping of tomatoes or onions.
- Gluten-free - naturally gluten-free, a wholesome option for anyone avoiding wheat.
- Flexible leftovers - uses range from chaat and salads to stuffing.
- Healthy & hearty - high in protein and fiber.
Recipe Ingredients
To make no-curry black chickpeas, you need the following ingredients:
- Chickpeas
- Dried black chickpeas/ brown chickpeas/Kala chana.
- Soak it overnight or for at least 9-10 hours in enough water.
- Oil and clarified butter (Ghee)
- Use equal parts oil and clarified butter.
- While there’s no direct comparison of black chickpeas (kala chana) cooked in ghee versus oil, the higher calorie content of ghee is a consideration. That’s why I chose to use equal amounts of both.
- Love ghee's aroma? Check my ghee bhuna chicken masala and sooji halwa recipe on the blog!
- Spices
- Basic Indian spices include turmeric, salt, red chilli powder, and garam masala.
- Chana masala - a spice blend that imparts flavour to the chickpeas.
- Chaat masala - a little tangy, lifts the flavour as we are not adding any souring agent.
- See the recipe card for more information!
How to cook black chickpeas?
① Soak the chickpeas
The first and most important step is to soak the chickpeas overnight, or for at least 9–10 hours, in plenty of water. Don’t skip this step, as without soaking, the chickpeas will be slightly harder after cooking and will take much longer to cook.
② Boil chickpeas
Add drained black chickpeas, garlic, ginger (grated), and all spices (turmeric, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, chana masala) and water into a pressure cooker. Stir well. Close the lid and turn the heat to medium.
After 4-5 whistles, turn off the heat and let it cool down. If chickpeas are still uncooked, allow more whistles.
③ Stir-fry black chana
Heat a pan. Add equal proportions of oil and clarified butter (ghee). Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Carefully pour in the boiled chickpeas along with any cooking liquid (start with low heat to avoid splatter).
Increase the heat to high and stir continuously until the chickpeas become dry. Sprinkle chaat masala and stir well to combine. Toss in the chopped green chillies. Cook another 2–3 minutes until you reach your preferred dryness.
Turn off the heat. Garnish and serve kala chana masala!
Leftover Advice
Got leftovers? You can try these leftover no-gravy black chana as:
- Make a curry by adding water and serve with cumin rice.
- Add chopped onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, black salt, or chat masala and make chana chaat.
- Make your salad, soup, and casseroles flavourful using these leftover chickpeas.
- Give a twist to plain pulao rice by adding a handful of them.
- Use them (after mash) as stuffing for pies, grilled sandwiches, and parathas. You can add onions and grated mozzarella as well.
FAQs
Asthami is an auspicious occasion of Kanjak Pooja, a traditional Indian festival in which people worship little girls and give them gifts, along with food. For Asthami, people always prepare food without garlic & onions. So this recipe is not suitable for Asthami.
FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive distress after eating them.
Black chickpeas are high in FODMAP. This recipe calls for chickpeas and garlic. Both of these are high in FODMAP, so avoid black chickpeas if you follow the FODMAP diet.
Black chickpeas are legumes, and like most beans, they’re rich in carbohydrates. Even though they’re high in fiber and protein, their carb count can easily push you out of ketosis.
You can cook unsoaked chana, but expect longer cooking time, firmer texture, and possible digestive discomfort. Soaking is always best for taste, texture, and nutrition.
The best way to soak them overnight or at least 9-10 hours before cooking. Soaking helps them absorb water and reduces cooking time.
Tips
- Always soak chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of water, as they tend to absorb a lot while soaking.
- If you forget to soak them, cook them by adding a pinch of baking soda while boiling, though they’ll take longer to soften.
- Use regular butter if ghee is unavailable.
More Indian Flavors
And if you try this brown chickpea recipe, please let me know what you think! You can also leave a comment or share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #tipsnrecipes to let me know how it goes!
🧾Recipe
Black Chickpeas - Sukhe Kale Chane Recipe
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Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Stove top
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup black chickpeas
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon chana masala
- 2.5 cup water
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoon clarified butter/ ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chat masala
- 2 chopped green chillies
- cilantro
Instructions
- Soak black chickpeas in water overnight or at least 7-8 hours.
- Drain the black chickpeas, add them into the pressure cooker along with garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, chana masala, and water into the pressure cooker.
- Stir well. Close the lid and cook until 4-5 whistles on medium heat.
- Heat oil and ghee on low heat in a pan. Add cumin seeds and turn them aromatic.
- Pour in cooked black chickpeas with water. Keep the heat low while adding black chickpeas to the pan to avoid spluttering.
- Turn the heat to high. Add chana masala and green chillies.
- Cook it until u get the desired consistency.
- Garnish the black chickpeas with finely chopped cilantro and serve with bread or rice!
Video
Notes
- Always soak chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of water, as they tend to absorb a lot while soaking.
- If you forget to soak them, cook them by adding a pinch of baking soda while boiling, though they’ll take longer to soften.
- Use regular butter if ghee is unavailable.
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Nutrition
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nancy says
what a great way to make chickpeas
Jean says
I love stir fry chickpeas but not this kind of black chickpeas yet, I enjoy Indian spices and will be trying this.
Abhi says
Thanks, Jean!
Meghan says
I've been looking for recipes that use chickpeas and this sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Abhi says
Thanks, Meghan! I am sure you will like these chickpeas