Chane Jaisalmer Ke (Black Chickpeas in Spiced Yoghurt gravy)

I’ve never been particularly good at planning weekly menus or cooking strictly based on a fridge-and-pantry list. That kind of organization feels like an art form. I’ve usually done the opposite—stocking up my pantry and refrigerator with the best intentions, only to rediscover forgotten items weeks or months later, expired and headed straight for the trash.

The past few months have been a complete whirlwind: home repairs, packing, moving, unpacking, and cleaning, all squeezed into less than three months. That chaos finally forced me to confront my kitchen habits—quite literally. I started creating proper pantry and fridge lists and even discovered an iPhone app called Menu Planner, which lets you plan daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus based on what you already have, complete with recipe suggestions. For an app enthusiast like me, this felt like a small victory. I’m now in week two of using it, so I’ll take that as a good sign.

One ingredient I realized I had in abundance was kala chana, also known as black chickpeas or Bengal gram. These are what I’d call an Indian superfood—high in protein and known to help lower cholesterol levels. Over time, I’d stocked up on them with plans to make chana masala, chana salads, and similar dishes that never quite materialized. One useful habit I did develop, though, was boiling large batches and freezing them in freezer bags. That made it much easier to use them later in quick curries and salads.

This particular recipe comes from watching Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khana Khazana and also appears in his book Marwari Cooking. It’s a simple, nutritious dish that works beautifully with wheat chapatis or rotis, or even with plain hot rice and a fresh salad on the side.

Ingredients

• Black Bengal gram (kala chana) – 1 1/2 cups
• Yogurt, well beaten – 1 1/2 cups
• Gram flour (besan) – 4 teaspoons
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tablespoon
• Salt, to taste
• Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 2 teaspoons
• Garam masala powder – 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies, chopped – 3–4
• Pure ghee – 3 tablespoons
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped – 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Soak the kala chana overnight in four cups of water.

2. When ready to cook, drain the soaking water. Add four fresh cups of water and pressure cook until the chana is fully cooked. Reserve the cooking liquid, as it contains valuable nutrients.

3. Transfer the cooked chana to a bowl and lightly mash them.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, gram flour, turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Whisk thoroughly to ensure there are no lumps. Add the chopped green chillies and mix well. Stir in one cup of the reserved chana cooking liquid.

5. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the asafoetida and cumin seeds. Once the cumin begins to crackle, pour in the yogurt mixture, stirring continuously.

6. Add the mashed chana along with a little more of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for about five minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.