Kale Chane ( Bengal Gram )
Bengal gram is called Chickpea or Gram in South Asia and Garbanzo bean in most of the developed world. Bengal gram is known as one of the health foods and it is a protein-rich supplement. I have cooked the bengal gram with gravy but their are a number of experiments that we can do with this healthy and protein rich lentils. All the lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.
Ingredients -
- Kale Chane (soaked overnight) – 2 cups
- Water to boil – 4 cups
- Onion (grind it in mixer) - 2
- Ginger garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
- Tomato Puree – 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
- Coriander Powder – 1 ½ teaspoon
- Garam Masala – ½ teaspoon
- Oil for gravy – 2 tablespoons
- Baking Soda – 1/8 teaspoon
- Dried Mango Powder – ¼ teaspoon
Method -
Soak kale chane overnight, cook in pressure cooker with 4 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder and a pinch of baking soda. Once the cooker starts whistling, reduce the heat and let it cook on low flame for about 25 – 30 mins. Turn off the heat and once the steam settles down completely, open and check if kale chane are boiled and soft, if not them put it on pressure cooking for another 5 -10mins on low flame.
Now prepare the gravy for the kale chane, take a heavy bottom pan, heat oil in the pan, and add ginger garlic onion (grind together) paste. Sauté till the paste becomes little translucent. Add chilli powder, coriander powder and mango powder. Sauté for a few seconds and then add tomato puree and green chillies. Stir till oil starts showing and the gravy is done. Turn off the heat.
Mix chane (along with the water in which you have boiled them) into the gravy mixture and cook for 10 minutes on low flame. Mash about one small ladle of those chana with spoon as this will make your grave thick and also the entire dish will mix well.
Serve with boiled rice, rotis or any flat bread. It best goes with boiled rice.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Do you have suggestions for cooking the chana without a pressure cooker?
Hi Nicole, I have never cooked chana without using a pressure cooker however will share little knowledge that I have on this question and you can go ahead and try it, not sure how much time will it take…soaking your chana’s is a MUST. Preferably soak them overnight. Cook then in a vessel with a lid with three cups of water for every one cup of chana. Please do not add salt to this while boiling them as salt will halt the chana cooking process. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, it has to be covered, cook until tender. Replace water as needed so that the chana are always covered with liquid as they cook. It is a long process surely and I don’t recommend it normally. To check if the chana is cooked press it with your fingers and it should be soft enough. All the best
!