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Kale chane ka salan
کالے چنے کا سالن (kale chane ka salan): Punjabi black chickpeas in a thin onion and tomato gravy with whole spices
Across Pakistani Punjab, from Faisalabad homes to roadside tandoors near Gujranwala, black chickpeas in a thin, peppery gravy are winter food and a Friday staple, eaten with fresh roti or rice. The small brown chana keep their bite and give a nutty, earthy broth flavoured with cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves and bay. It is cooked in one pot, on the stove or in a slow cooker, and tastes even better the next day. The usual mistake is skipping the overnight soak: unsoaked black chana stay hard however long you cook them. Chef's tip: mash a ladleful of the cooked chana against the side of the pot at the end; it thickens the gravy without any flour.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz dried black chickpeas (kala chana)soaked overnight in plenty of water
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 cinnamon stick5 cm
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 5 cups water
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drain and rinse the soaked 9 oz dried black chickpeas (kala chana).
2 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot (or pressure cooker) over a medium heat. Add 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom pod, 4 cloves and 1 tsp cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 3: Add 2 onions and fry for 10 minutes until deep golden; the colour of the onion gives the gravy its brown colour.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander and 1 ¼ tsp salt. Cook for 6 minutes until the tomatoes collapse and the oil separates.
7 minStep 5: Add the chana and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 50–60 minutes (or pressure-cook for 20 minutes after the first whistle), until a chickpea squashes easily between two fingers. Top up with hot water if it gets too thick; the gravy should stay thin.
55 minStep 6: Slow-cooker option: after step 4, tip everything with the chana and only 900 ml water into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours, until the chana are tender.
Step 7: Mash a ladleful of chana against the side of the pot and stir it back in. Sprinkle in ½ tsp garam masala, simmer 2 minutes, and finish with 2 tbsp fresh coriander. Serve with roti or rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kale chane ka salan take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dried black chickpeas (kala chana)?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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