Kale Chane - Black Chickpeas

A black chickpea is called ‘Kala Chana’ in Hindi. They actually look more brown than black which is probably why they are often also sold as ‘Brown Chickpeas’. They have a distinctively different taste than the white chickpeas.
There are many different ways to cook Black Chickpeas. The following is our favourite version, in tomato sauce, vegetarian and with delicious Ayurvedic spices.

How to Prepare Black Chickpeas

Before cooking, you need to wash and soak the chickpeas. If you cook the chickpeas for lunch, you should soak them the evening before. If you want to make them for dinner, you should soak them in the morning.

On time you should also start boiling them, so that they have enough time to get soft. You simply put the black chickpeas into a pot with the water and some salt, turn it on a high level first and close the pot with a lid. In the beginning you need to stay close-by until the water started boiling. Then you can turn the heat down to medium and let it boil while you prepare the rest of your food.

You could, for example, already cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Stir the chickpeas from time to time. When the chickpeas are soft, you start preparing the tadka in a separate pan. Heat up the oil in a pan and when it is hot, add cumin, asafetida, mace, garam masala, ginger powder, coriander and turmeric and churn the spices, so that they roast slightly in the pan. Add the tomatoes and mix them well with the spices. You can even mash them a bit with your spoon.

All you need to do then is to add the tomatoes to the chickpeas. Done!

Ayurvedic Values

Chickpeas, just like lentils, are full of proteins and because of this important for a healthy and nutritious vegetarian meal.

From the Ayurvedic viewpoint chickpeas increase the Vata in your body while they balance Pitta and Kapha.

It is a dish that helps your digestion through the fiber of the chickpeas. And it is really delicious!