Love the Street style Kala Chana Chaat!! Now make healthy Kala Chana Chaat at home, two ways, with oil and without oil.
Kala Chana Chaat is a super delicious and super healthy chaat/salad made with boiled Kala Chana/black chickpeas, cucumber,, tomatoes, onions and herbs.
This salad/chaat is high protein, vegan and gluten-free and a crowd pleaser!!
About the Recipe
Kala Chana are Black Chickpeas very popular in India and preferred by vegetarians for high protein meals.
Kala Chaat is a popular street food, made with Black Chickpeas/Kala Chana and salad vegetables like cucumber, tomato, onion and others. It is sold in many parts of the India and also made in homes and served as evening /party snack( or salad). You can also have it as a light meal if you follow salad day or no-grain day.
There is another version of this delicious chaat with yogurt dressing. Check this Aloo Chana Tacos so the fusion recipe of Aloo Chana Chaat served in Mexican Tacos.
In this post I am covering 2 ways of making Kala chana Chaat, one is where boiled Kala chana are tempered in oil and then we make chaat. The other is without oil, where boiled chana are mixed with salad veggies and lemon dressing.
Reasons to make this Kala Chana Chaat
- It is a high protein and high fibre recipe especially for vegetarians.
- Gluten-free and Vegan.
- Perfect nourishing light meal for those who want to lose weight.
- A crowd pleaser, your whole family can have it
- Serve it as a salad, light meal or party appetizer.
- You can make it ahead of serving and also pack in lunchboxes.
- Perfect for every season,hot summer days or monsoon/winter evenings!!
Benefits of Kala Chana
Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas are one of the richest sources of protein and iron. These have a very high glycemic index and rich in fibers. For vegetarians black chickpeas are one of the richest sources of proteins and are recommended for diabetics, people with high cholesterol. These are low in calories so you can easily add in your weight loss diets.
Kala Chana is mainly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. These are used in curries, stir frys, salads and chaats.
Ingredients to make Kala Chana Chaat
Black Chickpeas- High fibre and protein boiled Kala Chana are added to salad. You can use canned chana also. Boil chana in Instant Pot or Indian style pressure cooker.
Vegetables- Cucumber (English/Persian or any local variety), Tomatoes (firm tomatoes), Red Onion, Lemon, herbs like fresh coriander/cilantro and mint.
You can add other vegetables like colored bell peppers, carrot, raw mango, broccoli, lettuce, green apple, baby spinach, avocado etc.
Spices- Roasted Jeera/Cumin Powder, Red Chilli Powder/Paprika, Salt, Chaat masala( for no oil version). For salad with tempered chana, oil, amchur powder, coriander powder and cumin seeds.
How to make Kala Chana Chaat
Pressure cook chickpeas (on Stove-top Pressure cooker/Instant Pot). Check the detailed post HERE on How to pressure cook Kala Chana(Black Chickpeas).
When done, strain the chickpea water and keep it aside. We will be using it in cooking chickpeas (with oil method).
Take the required amount of boiled chickpeas (1 cup for 2 people).
Prepare vegetables
Chop onion and cucumber finely. Keep onions in water for few minutes (takes out the bitterness from it). Then drain the water completely, keep on colander before adding.
Chop tomatoes also finely. Take out the pulp and seeds.
finely chop coriander and mint.
Kala Chana Chaat with oil/tempering
Firstly we will temper Kala Chana in spices.
In a bowl, add all the spices(coriander powder, red chilli powder, kala namak, amchur powder), add 1/4 cup water and mix nicely to make paste.
Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle add the spice paste.
Next, add the boiled chana and mix nicely. Add 1/2 cup chana water and cook for about 2-3 mins. till the water evaporates.
Take the pan off the flame and cool the chickpeas.
Now in a mixing bowl, add cooked chana, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and herbs and lemon juice. Add salt as required,carefully add salt as the chana already has it.
Mix everything nicely and serve.
No Oil Kala Chana Salad
To make no oil Kala Chana Salad/Chaat, I have also added raw mango(it was over ripe) and yellow bell pepper. Instead of chilli powder have added red chilli flakes.
It is a quick 5 mins. recipe, where we combine and toss together all the ingredients (vegetables and spices) and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Kala Chana Chaat can be served as a snack or appetizer at your your parties. You can have it as light meal or evening snack.
It can also be packed for office lunch and your kids' lunchboxes.
At your parties you can serve it in canapes or papdi katoris . You can also top it with nylon sev and papdi just before serving.
Need more healthy Salad Recipes from the blog Click HERE
For more Indian Chaat Recipes Click HERE
FAQs
You can make Chana Chaat ahead of your parties or week day meal preps. Boil chana and refrigerate in airtight container. You can also, temper Chana in spices and store. Few hrs before the party add vegetables and spices and serve.
For lunch boxes you can add spices and lemon juice later before serving, as the vegetables may leave water due to the presence of salt.
Leftover can be refrigerated in airtight containers. Finish it by next day.
Do not freeze the chaat, though you can freeze boiled chana.
Recipes with Kala Chana/Black Chickpeas
Recipe Card
Kala Chana Chaat/Kala Chana Salad ( 2 ways)
Equipment
- Pressure cooker (ELectric/Stove top)
- Mixing Bowl
- Knife
- Mixing Spoon
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup Boiled Chana
- 1 Cucumber finely chopped
- 1 medium Tomatoes
- 1 medium Onion
- Fresh Coriander/Cilantro as required
- Fresh Mint as required
- 1 Lemon add juice as required
Kala Chana Chaat( with oil/tadka)
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder or as required
- ½ tsp Amchur Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ¼ Black Salt as boiled chickpeas already have salt
- 1-2 tsp Mustard Oil or any flavorless oil
Kala Chana Chaat/Salad without Oil
- ½ tsp Chaat Masala or as required
- 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
- Red Chilli Flakes as required
- Black Salt as required
- 2 tbsp Chopped Raw Mango optional
- 2 tbsp Chopped Yellow Pepper
Instructions
Kala Chana Chaat with oil
- Firstly we will temper Kala Chana in spices.
- In a bowl, add all the spices(coriander powder, red chilli powder, kala namak, amchur powder), add 1/4 cup water and mix nicely to make paste.½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp Amchur Powder, 1 tsp Coriander Powder, ¼ Black Salt, 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle add the spice paste.1-2 tsp Mustard Oil, ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- Next, add the boiled chana and mix nicely. Add 1/2 cup chana water/plain water and cook for about 2-3 mins. till the water evaporates.1 cup Boiled Chana
- Take the pan off the flame and cool the chickpeas.
- Now in a mixing bowl, add cooked chana, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and herbs and lemon juice. Add salt as required. Be careful as the chana already has salt.1 Cucumber, 1 medium Tomatoes, 1 medium Onion, Fresh Coriander/Cilantro, Fresh Mint, 1 Lemon
- Mix everything nicely and serve.
Kala Chana Salad(without oil)
- Ina mixing bowl/salad bowl, combine and toss together all the ingredients (vegetables and spices) and serve.1 Cucumber, 1 medium Tomatoes, 1 medium Onion, Fresh Coriander/Cilantro, Fresh Mint, ½ tsp Chaat Masala, 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder, ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder, Red Chilli Flakes, Black Salt, 2 tbsp Chopped Raw Mango, 2 tbsp Chopped Yellow Pepper, 1 Lemon
Serving Suggestion
- Serve it just like that or garnish it with pomegranate arils/papdi and nylon sev.
- You can also serve it in canpes or padi katoris as party starter.
Do try this delicious and easy to make Kala Chana Chaat. Make it with tempering or oil-free. Both ways it tastes yumm and is super healthy.
Also, whenever you try the recipe, I will love to hear/share your feedback or any queries in the comment section below. I will try to answer your queries as soon as possible.
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