Sukhe Kale Chane is a delicious Indian dry black chana (black chickpeas) recipe made with a few simple spices, tamarind pulp, and jaggery. We specially prepare this black chana for Ashtmi Prasad on the eighth day of Navratri. I love them so much that my mom used to pack them in my school lunchbox. To make delicious sukhe kale chane, you need to coat the chana well with spices. It creates a perfect symphony of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors!
Sukhe kale chane, poori, and halwa are popular dishes served to little girls on Ashtami. We celebrate Ashtami to honor womanhood and worship our girls as the purest form of Maa Durga. Growing up, my sisters and I acted as kanjaks, visiting neighbors to enjoy this special meal. However, the dish I cherished most was the one my mom made for us.
Her dry chana recipe bursts with flavor; I could eat them on their own. The tamarind pulp adds a kick, while the jaggery brings a hint of sweetness. This sukhe chane ki sabzi is renowned for how beautifully the spices coat the black chickpeas, giving them an appetizing fiery red color.
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What is Sukhe Kale Chane?
Sukhe kale chane ki sabzi is such a flavorful and nutritious dish, especially with tamarind and jaggery to balance the spice in this recipe. I soak the dried black chickpeas overnight and pressure cook them. You can either use a traditional pressure cooker or an instant pot to cook the dried black chickpeas. We then make a spice paste using a few ground spices, tamarind pulp, and jaggery to temper this dry black chickpea sabzi.
This recipe is perfect as it is vegan and gluten-free too. So it makes this recipe very nutritious, satvik and delicious.
I love a good puri halwa chane for a hearty breakfast too! It is a true classic, isn't it? We also serve vrat wali aloo ki sabzi and it makes for a great meal.
It's great to enjoy it as a high-protein snack too, and it's such a lovely tradition to serve it as Ashtmi prasad during Navratri. Do you usually make puri and halwa alongside this sabzi for Prasad as well?
I also make chana batata nu shaak using dried black chickpeas, which you must try!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is easy to make and delicious
- I love how this recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Dried black chickpeas are protein-packed
- Healthy and nourishing
- A true flavor bomb
- Leftovers make for a great snack or chaat.
Navratri Ashtmi Prasad
Ashtmi, or Durga Ashtami, is one of the most significant days of Navratri, dedicated to worshipping Goddess Durga in her form as Maha Gauri. It falls on the eighth day of the nine-day Navratri festival. This day holds special importance for devotees as they perform rituals, prayers, and fasting to honor the goddess's victory over evil.
Key Ashtmi Celebration Traditions:
- Kanya Pujan (Kanjak/Kanjake): Kanya Pujan is a central part of Ashtmi celebrations. People invite nine young girls, symbolizing the nine forms of Durga, into their homes and worship them. Devotees wash their feet, offer flowers, and apply tilak on their foreheads. Afterward, they serve the girls traditional prasad, which typically includes sukhe kale chane, puri, and halwa.
- Fasting and Prayer: During Navratri, many people fast, and on Ashtmi, they break their fast after offering prayers to the goddess. Devotees visit temples, perform aarti, and chant mantras in honor of Durga.
- Havan (Sacred Fire Ritual): On Ashtmi, people often perform havan to invoke the blessings of Goddess Durga. They offer ghee, wood, and other sacred items into the fire, reciting prayers for prosperity and protection.
- Special Feast: As part of the Kanya Pujan ritual, a special feast is prepared. The prasad typically includes sukhe kale chane, puri, and halwa, which are offered first to the goddess and then to the young girls (kanyas) and other devotees. The meal symbolizes prosperity and spiritual fulfillment.
Ashtmi is a day of joy, devotion, and the continuation of cultural and religious traditions, especially through food, prayers, and rituals.
I have been making this feast for my daughter and now her friends too since she was born.
Ingredients to Make Sukhe Chane
Boiled Black Chickpeas - You will have to soak 1 cup of dried black chickpeas for 7-8 hours for this recipe. And then pressure cook it using either pressure cooker or an instant pot.
Tamarind - Use dried seedless blob of tamarind, and soak it in hot water to extract its pulp to add to this dry black chickpeas sabzi.
Spices - We will be using Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Roasted Cumin Powder and Garam Masala for This Recipe
Water - We will add water to the ground spices and make a paste for this dry chana recipe. We will be adding more water in the later part of this Ashtmi Prasad recipe.
Oil - Use either mustard or peanut oil to make this recipe, as it gives a beautiful flavor to this chana sabzi.
Cumin Seeds - We will be adding cumin seeds to temper this recipe.
Ginger and Green Chilies - I like to add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger and green chili in this recipe to add to a spice kick.
Salt - We will be adding salt to season the recipe, and also to boil the chickpeas.
Jaggery - We will be adding jaggery for a hint of sweetness and to balance the tangy and spicy flavor of this sukhe chane recipe.
Garnishes - I use finely chopped fresh cilantro to garnish this dry black chickpeas sabzi.
Step By Step Recipe to Make This Ashtmi Prasad Recipe
Soak and Boil The Dried Black Chickpeas
Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in hot or warm water overnight or at least 7-8 hours.
Drain the water and add the chickpeas to the metal insert of the instant pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1.5 cups of water.
Close the instant pot lid and manually pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
Do a quick pressure release 5 minutes after the chana are boiled.
Drain the water of the boiled chickpeas and store the water to use it in making rotis or rice, as it has a lot of nutrients and protein.
Prep to Make the Sukhe Kale Chane
Add 1 small ball of dried seedless tamarind to a bowl and pour half a cup of hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and then extract the pulp of tamarind.
Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste.
In a bowl mix ½ tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (use less chili powder if it is spicy), 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder, ½ teaspoon Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder, ½ teaspoon Garam Masala. Now add 3-4 tablespoons water and mix well to make a slurry.
Also, pound together ½ inch ginger and 1 Thai green chili in a mortar pastel. Keep it aside.
Cook the Sukhe Kale Chane
In a heavy bottom pot, add 1 tablespoon of Mustard oil. You can also use peanut oil. Let it heat up.
Then add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add ginger-green chili paste and saute for 10-15 seconds.
Lower the flame and add the slurry made with spices. Mix well. Cook for a minute or until you see it bubbling.
Add drained black chana, along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon Jaggery. Mix well again.
You can now either add the stock or water to the recipe slowly white sauteing. Add about 1.5 cups of water/ stock. Adding the stock gives this recipe a dark brown color.
Let it cook on medium flame until the water is absorbed and the chana is coated with all the spices.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.
Expert Tips To Make This Recipe
- Make sure to use a medium-sized dried black chana for this recipe. Using too small or too big a variety doesn't always give the same result.
- You can add whole spices like a cinnamon stick and bay leaf when you temper the dry chana recipe.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas until soft. I pressure cook them in the Instant pot on high pressure for 30 minutes. If you are using a pressure cooker, cook for 7-8 whistles on low heat.
- You will have to adjust the quantity of tamarind in the recipe, as it can make the kala chana too tangy. I also like to add jaggery to balance the flavors.
Serving Suggestions for Dry Black Chickpeas Sabzi
You can serve this dry kale chane recipe for Ashtmi prasad with Poori, Halwa and Rassedar Aloo.
You can also serve this sukhe chane with roti and parathas.
I like to make chaat with this chana recipe, adding onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green chutney, tamarind chutney, and some pomegranate arils.
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Sukhe Kale Chane
These nutrional values are automatically generated. Use them for estimation only.
Ingredients
To Boil The Chickpeas
- 1 Cup Black Chickpeas kala chana
- 1.5 Cups Water
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
For Making The Masala
- ½ Inch Ginger
- 1 Thai Green Chili
- 1 ball Tamarind Small or 1 teaspoon of Tamarind Paste
- ½ Cups Water
- ½ Tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 3-4 Tablespoons Water
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Jaggery
- 1 Cup Water You can also use boiled chickpea water.
Instructions
Soak and Cook the Kala Chana
- Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in hot or warm water overnight or at least 7-8 hours.
- Drain the water and add the chickpeas to the metal insert of the instant pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1.5 cups of water.
- Close the instant pot lid and manually pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
- Do a quick pressure release 5 minutes after the chana are boiled.
- Drain the water of the boiled chickpeas and store the water to use it in making rotis or rice, as it has a lot of nutrients and protein.
Prep The Ingredients
- Add 1 small ball of dried seedless tamarind to a bowl and pour half a cup of hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and then extract the pulp of tamarind.
- Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste.
- In a bowl mix ½ tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (use less chili powder if it is spicy), 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder, ½ teaspoon Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder, ½ teaspoon Garam Masala. Now add 3-4 tablespoons water and mix well to make a slurry.
- Also, pound together ½ inch ginger and 1 Thai green chili in a mortar pastel. Keep it aside.
Make the Sukha Chana Masala
- In a heavy bottom pot, add 1 tablespoon of Mustard oil. You can also use peanut oil. Let it heat up.
- Then add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add ginger-green chili paste and saute for 10-15 seconds.
- Lower the flame and add the slurry made with spices. Mix well. Cook for a minute or until you see it bubbling.
- Add drained black chana, along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon Jaggery. Mix well again.
- You can now either add the stock or water to the recipe slowly white sauteing. Add about 1.5 cups of water/ stock. Adding the stock gives this recipe a dark brown color.
- Let it cook on medium flame until the water is absorbed and the chana is coated with all the spices.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to use a medium-sized dried black chana recipe. Using too small or too big a variety doesn't always give the same result.
- You can add whole spices like a cinnamon stick and bay leaf when you temper the recipe.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas until soft. I pressure cook them in the Instant pot on high pressure for 30 minutes. If you are using a pressure cooker, cook for 7-8 whistles on low heat.
- You will have to adjust the quantity of tamarind in the recipe, as it can make the kala chana too tangy. I also like to add jaggery to balance the flavors.
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