Instant Pot Kala Chana Curry (Bihari Ghugni)
Easy Instant Pot kala chana curry made Bihari-style. This protein-rich black chickpea stew is vegan, gluten-free, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Servings: 4
Calories: 129kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- ½ cup black chickpeas soaked
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp red chili powder
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 tbsp cilantro divided
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the bay leaf and cumin seeds.
- As the cumin seeds crackle, add the onion and the ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, salt, and garam masala.
- Mix them all together, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the water, followed by the soaked and drained chickpeas. Add 1 tbsp of cilantro and mix well.
- Now set the IP in manual mode for 20 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. If you have soaked the chickpeas for 10 to 12 hours, you can cook them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until your preferred texture is achieved. Check recipe notes for more details.
- Once the pressure is dropped, open the lid. This is an optional step - I always do this. I take out 2 tbsps of the chickpea mix, mash or blend it, add it to the curry, add the remaining cilantro, cook for 5 to 7 minutes, and turn off the heat. Serve it warm with rice, roti, murmura or poori.
Video
Notes
- I did not add any turmeric powder or asafoetida. Given the benefits of hing and turmeric, I always add ¼ tsp of each, and you can use the same measure for this recipe too.
- Last but not least, adjust the spices and salt as per your preference.
- I served this with rice, so I added more water. But if you are planning to serve this with puffed rice or like chaat, you can reduce the water by 1 to 1.5 cups.
- If you have soaked the chickpeas for 10 to 12 hours, you can cook them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until your preferred texture is achieved. If time is pressing, then soak the beans for at atleast 30 to 45 minutes and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. The cooking time varies depending on the soak time, bean quality, and your preferred texture. One batch of beans that I had cooked in 15 minutes. Start with a shorter cooking time and adjust if required.
- You can make this in a stove-top pressure cooker, too. Prepare the tempering and follow the same procedure, and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
Nutrition
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 692mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg