One of the most common questions which are thrown at vegetarians and vegans is – where do they get their protein from? I have seen a lot of people who are planning to start a vegan or vegetarian life, worrying about this and assuming that they will become weak after starting a plant-based diet. When I decided to become a vegetarian, this was never my concern as I am aware that home-cooked vegetarian Indian meals are perfectly balanced. Our ancestors had planned it very effectively, creating a complete equilibrium of all the essential nutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Eating such balanced meals and remaining physically active was the secret of their longevity. There is an impressive gamut of protein-rich vegan and vegetarian dishes in Indian cuisine. Indians love eating dal (lentils) every day, at least once and dal chawal (lentils with rice) is almost every Indian’s comfort food. Other than lentils, there is a huge range of beans that are eaten very frequently in India. The enormous range of lentils and beans is more than sufficient for the required protein intake. Today I am sharing the recipe for one such protein-rich vegan Indian curry which is also one of my favorite Indian curries. The dish is kala chana curry or black chickpea curry (whole Bengal gram curry). If you are also looking for a protein-rich vegan or vegetarian dish, try this recipe. It’s not only healthy but super delicious too. Trust me, you will never miss a spicy Indian chicken curry after having this.
The shape of black chickpeas is similar to regular white chickpeas but their taste and texture are different. Black chickpeas also take more time to get cooked in comparison to white chickpeas. Personally, I prefer the taste of black chickpeas.
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
Dried black chickpeas: Also sold by the name kala chana or whole Bengal gram, you can easily find them in Indian or any South Asian grocery stores. Though black chickpeas are called black they are dark brown in colour. Whole spices: I have added bay leaf, black cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds. You can add or skip 1-2 spices as per availability. Coriander powder: It’s the ground form of dried coriander seeds and is used as a spice in Indian recipes. You can also add around ½ a teaspoon of cumin powder to this curry. Kasoori methi: Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaves. This ingredient is used as a spice and gives Indian dishes a very nice smoky flavor. Garam masala: It’s a flavorful blend of Indian spices with a very strong aroma and taste. Use it in moderation. Red chilli powder: Choose a variety depending on how hot you want your curry to be. I prefer using Kashmiri red chili powder as it’s not very spicy but gives a beautiful color to the dish. If you prefer a spicy curry, use a hotter variety of red chilli powder. Cooking oil: For North Indian cooking, I prefer using mustard oil but you can also use vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, or any other cooking oil of choice. If using mustard oil, first heat it till it reaches the smoking point then turn off the heat. Allow the oil to reach a more manageable temperature before adding the spices.
The quantity of ingredients used is shared in the recipe card, further in the post.
Step 1: Wash black chickpeas and soak them in water overnight or for at least 7 hours. Step 2: Put the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water and salt. Step 3: Put on the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on medium heat till 9-10 whistles of the cooker. Step 4: Transfer a ladle full of cooked black chickpeas to a grinding jar. Make a smooth paste of chickpeas, take it out in a bowl, and keep the paste aside. Step 5: In the same grinding jar, put roughly chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Make a paste, transfer it to a bowl, and keep it aside. Step 6: Make a separate paste of tomatoes and green chilies. Keep it aside too. Step 7: Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and cloves. Saute until the spices become fragrant. Step 8: Add onion paste. Step 9: Cook until the onion paste becomes brown. Step 10: Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Saute for a minute. Step 11: Add tomato paste and salt. Step 12: Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are nicely cooked and change color to a brighter red. Step 13: Put cooked black chickpeas along with the water in which they were cooked into the cooking pot. Step 14: Add chickpea paste. Step 15: Add more water, if required to get the desired consistency. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes. Step 16: Add crushed kasoori methi, garam masala, and chopped cilantro. Mix everything and switch off the stove. Your delicious protein-rich kala chana masala is ready to be served! If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest. I love eating this curry with plain steamed basmati rice but you can also serve it with other rice dishes like jeera rice, vegetable rice, tomato rice, curried rice with vegetables, and cabbage rice. A bowl of this hearty curry can also be enjoyed as a flavourful soup. To reheat, thaw it first and then either microwave for a few minutes until evenly heated or just transfer it to a pan, add some boiling water, cover the pan, and cook until the curry starts boiling. Check and adjust the seasoning, if required.
Recipe
