This Pakistani kala chola recipe is made with kala chana, which is in the family of garbanzo beans. It can be served as a meal with rice or just on its own. You can find kala chana in Indian/Pakistani stores or in the Indian/Pakistani section of an international store. It is really tasty and very popular in my home. According to my mom (a diabetic), kala chana are high in fiber and low in fat. It is great for people with blood sugar problems. Serve by garnishing with onion and cilantro with basmati rice. Hope you all enjoy it.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 3 hrs 5 mins
Total Time: 11 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dry black garbanzo beans (kala channa)
- 3 cups water, plus more as needed
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 dried red chile peppers (Optional)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground red chile pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
Steps
- Place garbanzo beans into a large bowl. Pour enough water over beans to cover by several inches. Soak for 8 hours to overnight. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans thoroughly.
- Combine garbanzo beans, 3 cups water, tomatoes, 1 finely chopped onion, dried red chile peppers, jalapeño pepper, oil, salt, turmeric, and ground red chile pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until garbanzo beans are tender, 3 to 4 hours. Add water as needed to keep about 1 inch of liquid at the bottom of the pot.
- Garnish with cilantro and 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion to serve.
