Kala Chana Chaat consists of black chickpeas, celery, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and spices. This salad is healthy, vegetarian (and vegan), sugar-free, and without onion and garlic. Making this dish is beyond easy; it requires only a few ingredients and tastes mouth-watering with many flavors. Jump to:About Kala Chana ChaatWhy You Will Love This SaladIngredients and SubstitutionsHow To Make Kala Chana ChaatServing Suggestions VariationsHelpful TipsMore Healthy Salad RecipesRecipe Card
About Kala Chana Chaat
I love black chickpeas as much as white chickpeas. When I was living with my parents, I used to have black chickpea dishes very often. Now I do not cook that often, but I love making dishes with black chickpeas whenever I can. My family loves this salad, and I often make it as a side dish. But on lazy weekends, we sometimes have this easy salad as lunch. It is very filling and works perfectly as a light meal. I prefer this Kala Chana Chaat hot or warm, so I cook it before serving. In my opinion, cooked and warm Chana salad tastes better than raw salad. However, I have used only a teaspoon of oil to cook this salad. But if you want to make it raw, take boiled chickpeas in a large bowl, and add all the other ingredients except oil. Mix well and serve. Black chickpeas are loaded with nutrients. They are high in protein, fiber, and carbohydrates and packed with vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients and Substitutions
How To Make Kala Chana Chaat
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped chili and celery. Mix well and saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, mix well, and continue cooking until tomatoes are soft but not mushy.
Add boiled black chickpeas and mix well. Then add turmeric powder, black salt, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, and red chili powder. Mix well and cook the Chana mixture for 4-5 minutes. Now taste the salad and add salt as needed, and mix well.
Turn off the heat, add coriander leaves and lime juice to taste. Mix everything well and transfer it to the serving bowl.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this salad hot, warm, or at room temperature as you desire. Garnish it with more coriander leaves and squeeze more lime juice if you like. Enjoy the salad as it is, or have it with tortilla chips or crackers.
Variations
You can add boiled potatoes and bell peppers to this salad. Mix in some avocado chunks right before serving the Kala Chana Chaat. Garnish the salad with pomegranate seeds, chopped cucumber, or chopped raw mango. If you are not watching the calories, you can also garnish this salad with some fine Sev.
Helpful Tips
Boiling Black Chickpeas: Soak one cup of black chickpeas in water for 8 hours or overnight. Discard the water and place the chickpeas in a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Cook the chickpeas for 5-6 whistles or until well cooked. Drain the Chana and use it for the recipe. Or you can also use an instant pot. Pressure cook chickpeas with 3 cups of water and salt on high for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, drain the chickpeas, and use them for the recipe. Make a Raw Salad: If you do not want to use oil and want to keep the vegetables raw, you can still make this delicious salad. Take the boiled chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients (except oil), mix well, and serve.
