Kala chana chaat is a famous Pakistani street snack. This is not only a chaat but also a great way to contribute to the food that is actually good for your health. Kala chana has benefits in regulating blood sugar and weight management. It also improves digestion and boosts immunity. This chaat is a great way to incorporate the vegetables without compromising the taste. So let’s make it
What goes into the kala chana chaat
kala chana
Kala chana or black chickpeas can be easily found at any South Asian grocery store. Before you cook these chanas, soak them overnight or for at least 6 hours in plenty of water so they can fluff up and cook faster. I like to use an Instant Pot to boil chana, but you can use a pressure cooker or even cook them in a regular pot. A regular pot will take more time and water.
Potatoes
You can boil the potatoes and cut them into cubes, or cut them first as I did, and then boil them with some salt. Once they are fork-tender, drain all of the water and let them cool completely.
Vegetables
I have used red onion, tomatoes, green chilies, and cilantro. Sometimes I like to add cucumbers and lettuce as well. Wash everything, peel if needed, and then dice into small pieces. You can have them roughly chopped as well.
Spices
For the chana chaat, I used regular salt, black salt, red chili powder, dry roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala.
Tamarind Pulp
Chaat is always tangy. To give that tangy flavor, add tamarind chutney or tamarind pulp. I had some tamarind lying around, so I soaked it in 1 cup of water, and once it was softened, I took out all the seeds and added the water to the chaat.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice is optional because tamarind is already sour, but if you want, then use a little bit or serve it on the side.
Sugar
To balance the tartness of tamarind and lemon juice, add some sugar and mix it well.
How to serve kala chana chaat
Kala chana chaat is vegan and gluten-free, doesn’t have any oil, and is packed with protein. I like to make it for lunch or just as a snack. Not only that, I love to serve this chaat as a side for my dawat and for iftar during Ramadan. After consuming all the fried food, this chaat will help you balance out, as it has fiber, which is great for your gut health and also helps in maintaining weight.
How to store leftover chaat
I like to store leftover chaat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Kala chana chaat tastes even better the next day. I recommend keeping it in the fridge for up to a week, but not more than that, as the vegetables will start to decompose.
More Recipes
Kala Chana Chaat
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kala Chana soaked overnight
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Water to cover the potatoes to boil
- 1/2 cup tamarind pulp
Vegetables
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 green chilies optional
Spices
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 2 tsp cumin seed powder dry roasted
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp Lemon juice optional
- 1 tbsp sugar optional
Instructions
Boil Chana
- Soak 1 cup of black chana overnight.
- Add the chana to an Instant Pot, add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 cup of water, and cook under pressure for 30 minutes. You can also use a pressure cooker and adjust the water quantity accordingly.
- Once the chana are soft, discard any remaining water and let them cool down.
Boil Potatoes
- While chana are boiling, peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes, and then add them to a pot. Add salt and cover it with water.
- Boil on high heat without covering the pot until potatoes are fork tender, and then drain the water and let it cool down completely. It'll take 10- 15 minutes
Cut the vegetables
- Peel and chop an onion. Wash and chop tomatoes, green chilies, and cilantro.
- You can also use cucumbers and lettuce.
- Also, soak the tamarind.
assemble the chana chaat
- In a bigger bowl, add boiled chana, boiled potaotes and all of the chopped vegetables.
- Add all of the mentioned spices and tamarind paste. Also, add sugar and lemon juice.
- Mix it well. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and enjoy.