Kala Chana Chaat-Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipe

Kala Chana Chaat-Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipe-Protein Rich, low fat, healthy, chock full of vegetables and sweet, spicy and tangy is the best way to describe this Kala Chana Chaat. This Kala Chana Chaat/salad in Instant Pot makes a complete meal as it has a perfect balance of protein from the kala chana and the goodness of fresh vegetables.  Kala Chana also called Black Chick peas in English is a powerhouse with 9 grams of protein in 1/4 cup. This salad will keep you full and satiated for hours. This Black Chick pea salad is vegan and gluten free. I made this chaat recently for a party at my house and I served the chaat in cute individual paper cups with wooden spoons. Reminded me of eating chaat from the street vendors in Kolkata. This and the Rasmalai Tres Leche cake were the most requested recipes after the party! The cake recipe is to follow soon.

What is Chaat? Chaat is a generic term for Indian street food and is usually spicy, sweet, sour and tangy. These flavors come from the two main chutneys which are the backbone of all Indian street food-Green Chutney made from Cilantro, mint, green chilies and lemon juice and Sweet Tamarind Chutney. I have a hack that I use for the Sweet Tamarind Chutney! I use Apple Butter to make this chutney and trust me there is no difference in taste at all. Plus you get a serving of fruit since its made from apples and its a no cook recipe-winner all the way! I always have Green chutney in my freezer, the Green chutney recipe has freezing instructions as well. Coming back to chaat-we have aloo chaat, samosa chaat, tikki chaat, Papdi chaat ,Palak chaat and my healthy air fried papdi and  tater tots papdi chaat. The common ingredient in all these chaats are the chutneys and some form of potatoes and a crunchy addition like sev or bhel mix.

Can this be eaten as a salad? Absolutely. Add any choice of vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, corn, lettuce, avocadoes and maybe even some fruits like apples, pears, oranges and pomegranate. This kala chana/Black chick pea salad  is a complete meal with a good balance of protein and healthy carbs from vegetables.

Can I make this Kala Chana Chaat without the chutneys? Skip the chutneys and eat this high protein Kala Chana salad with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Or skip the oil altogether and make it completely fat free.

I don’t have an Instant Pot, how can I cook the Black Chick Peas? You can use a pressure cooker, I have included the instructions in the Notes section. You can also cook in a crock pot, though that would take considerably longer. You can even cook the chick peas in a dutch oven. Bring to a boil ,cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook for 2-3 hours till done. Keep checking to make sure there is enough water.

Can I use Canned Chick Peas?  Yes canned chick peas should be fine. Drain all the liquid and rinse the chick peas well under running water. I have never used canned black chick peas though I have seen them in Indian grocery stores. Canned Garbanzo beans also work well in this recipe.

How to Boil the Potatoes? I use different methods for boiling potatoes- If I need the potatoes to be on the dry side for recipes like tikkis, batata vadas  and aloo paratha then I prefer to cook them in a microwave. Wash the potatoes well, make some deep gashes on them and put in a plastic bag and place in he microwave. 2 minutes per medium sized potato. To cook in an Instant Pot, put a cup of water in the steel insert. Place the potatoes on a trivet and choose the ‘steam’ option(make sure it on venting position)  and steam for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally and let the pin drop before opening the lid. In pressure cooker, put the potatoes with some water and give 2 whistles on high heat. Let pressure release naturally.

How to make this Chaat for large crowd? I have made this chaat a few times as an appetizer for parties. Kala Chana can be cooked and kept in the fridge for 2-3 days prior to the party. The cooked chick peas also freeze well. I mix the cooked kala chana, chutneys and boiled potatoes in a large bowl. I keep all other chopped vegetables in a separate air tight container in the fridge. When guests arrive mix in the vegetables and bhel mix to the Black chick pea mixture, toss for a minute and serve. If its not possible to cut the vegetables for a big crowd, use only boiled potatoes and onions.

How to store left overs? Cooked chick peas stay good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and stay good in the freezer for couple of months. Thaw completely before using. The chaat tastes best when served immediately but if there are any leftovers of the chaat, it will taste just fine, except the vegetables and bhel will turn soggy and lose the crunch.

Here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one- 

Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-

Kala Chana rinsed and soaked overnight

Drain the Kala Chana/Black Chick Peas that we soaked overnight

Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode and add oil

Add Cumin seeds, when they crackle, add the soaked kala Chana/Black Chick Peas

Add salt and water, give a stir and press ‘Cancel’ on the Instant Pot

Put the lid on ‘Sealing’ and press pressure cook for 30 minutes. Let pressure release naturally

Pour the boiled chana into a colander, reserving the liquid. Details on how to use this liquid in notes section

Ingredients needed to assemble the Kala Chana Chaat

Chop all the vegetables

To the Boiled chana, add the potatoes, onions, cucumber, tomatoes and cilantro.

Put the green and sweet chutneys along with the Bhel Mix and toss well

Top with some Nylon sev and chopped cilantro and serve immediately

Serve in individual paper cups for the authentic Indian street food feel