Black Chickpeas Curry

Finger licking tangy and spicy curry made from nutritious black chickpeas. This is my second post on black chickpeas known as kalay chanay in Urdu. It has more intense taste than the white chickpea curry. Black chickpeas have thicker skins than regular chickpeas, and often retain its shape and texture after being cooked. You can enjoy it with boiled rice, naans or chapati...

  

Ingredients:

1 &1/2 cups black chickpeas (kalay chanay)

1/2 cup oil (you can always use less oil)

2 medium onions, Chopped finely

1&1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 medium tomatoes (pureed)

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 & ½ tsp red chili powder (or to taste)

½ tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

7-8 black pepper corns

3 cloves

1 small cinnamon stick

½ tsp garam masala powder

Salt – to taste

1 tsp fenugreek leaves  (dry)

2 medium green chilies (chopped)

Fresh coriander chopped 2-3 tbsp

1 tsp amchoor powder (optional)

Method:

1) Wash the chickpeas under cold running water until water runs clear. Soak them in water for 8 hours or overnight. To boil the beans first discard the water then transfer soaked chickpeas in to a pan, add 5-6 cups of water and bring the beans to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender

2) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add onions. Cook till onions turn light golden in colour. It will take about 4-5 minutes. Add in the cumin seeds, black pepper corns, cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger garlic paste. Mix well and cook it for a few minutes.

3) Take ½ cup of boiled chickpeas and puree them in a blender. This will help thicken the gravy to a lovely consistency

4) Add the pureed tomatoes turmeric powder, red chili powder, amchoor powder and salt. Fry it well adding a few splashes of water when needed, once the masala is done (the raw smell of masala has gone)

5) Add the chickpeas, the pureed chickpeas, green chilies and the water from boiled chickpeas. Mix well, lower the heat and cook it for further 30 minutes. Stir in between to make sure gravy doesn’t stick to bottom. Please adjust the consistency according to your desire. (if you feel its on the dry side you can always add some water in)

6) After 30 minutes,  ajust the salt and spicyness add in the garam masla and coriander powder, dried fenugreek, and chopped fresh coriander, cover for 4-5 more minutes and then turn off the flame. Black chickpea curry is ready to be served.