Kale Chane ki Chaat / Black Chickpeas Chaat Recipe

Kala Chana or Black chickpea is an excellent source of large number of nutrients including Fiber , Protein , Manganese, Potassium , Calcium , and Iron and hence is one among the list of super food. Kala chana is a staple food in Punjab and there are many ways in which black chickpeas can be cooked. Kala chana is also cooked and served as Ashtami prasad during Navratri. 

Kale chane is one of my favourite food since childhood. My son also loves it and happily takes it in his lunch box along with poori. Kale chane are very versatile. Boiled black chickpeas can be simply had as salad with onions and tomatoes or can be spiced up and made as stir fry or made as a gravy dish. Kale chane ki chaat is also one of the ways one can enjoy this healthy black chickpeas. 

Kale chane ki chaat can be had as an evening snacks or as a starter dish for kitty parties. As you can see, i have served the chaat in an edible katori made out of Papad. I got this brilliant idea of stuffing the chaat in a papad katori from Ruchiskitchen. 

Kale chane ki chaat is a popular Indian street food. One can find this tangy spicy chatpati dish at beaches of Mumbai, railway stations and many other public places, including gardens , parks and market area. Considering the hygiene , we generally miss having it. If you too have missed it, here is an easy recipe to enjoy a lip smacking chaat guilt free. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried black chickpeas
• 1/2 inch Ginger piece
• 1 green Chilly
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1 Tomato finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Coriander leaves
• 1 tsp red Chilly powder
• 2 tsp Cumin Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Chaat powder or as required
• 1-2 sprig of Curry leaves
• 4-5 Urad dal Papad / Papadams
• 2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice.
• 2 tsp Oil
• Pinch of cooking soda
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dried black chickpeas for 8-9 hours or overnight. Once soaked, drain the water and keep aside. Grind the ginger, green chilies and half of the coriander leaves .

   2. In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tsp oil . Add curry leaves and ginger chilly and coriander paste and saute for a while. Add the drained black Chick peas and stir fry for a minute.

  3. Add the red chilly powder, cumin coriander powder , salt and pinch of cooking soda. Mix well and add 2 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until the chickpeas are cooked well.

  4. While the chickpeas are cooked, we can make the papad bowls / katoris. Take papadams and dip them in water for few seconds. Tap them on kitchen towel and arrange them in microwave safe bowls. Microwave for a minute on HIGH. Remove the cooked papad katoris from the individual bowls on cooling. 

  5. Remove the cooked chickpeas in a mixing bowl. Add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes. Season with chaat masala, lemon juice and salt. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves. 

   6.  Serve the chaat in the papad katori and enjoy the delicious tangy papad katori chaat with your loved ones !!

  Notes:

• You can simply boil the black chick peas and spice it with chaat masala, chilly powder , lemon juice and top with finely chopped onions , tomatoes and coriander and have as an oil free healthy salad.
• Finely chopped Cucumber and raw Mango chunks may also be added in the chaat.
• If making chaat with canned cooked chick peas, the chaat can be made within jiffy.
• This same recipe can be made using cooked white or green chick peas , sprouted beans.
• You can also top the chaat with boondi or gram flour sev.

For more chaat recipes, do check my posts on

• Dahi Papdi Chaat
• Kutchi Dabeli
• Sweet Corn chaat
• Sweet Potato Chaat
• Masala Papad