This Kala Chana Salad, a popular Indian Chana Chaat made with Boiled Black Chickpea is a healthy appetizer rich in savory flavors of onion, tomato, spices and lemon juice. This Boiled Chana Chaat Salad recipe gathers in no time and is a high protein salad fused with tangy and spicy flavors and can be had as a light breakfast or an evening meal.
A popular Mumbai Street Food, Kala Chana Chaat is a total comfort snack that can be made quickly with pre-boiled black chickpeas. As an Indian, I love the bold and crunchy flavors that comes from a chaat and I would never say No to this Nutrition-packed salad.
This Chana Salad is made with onion and tomato and can be easily customized with options to include subtle flavored Cucumber, carrots, replacing crunchy onions with caramelized onions or tangy curd/dahi and Raw mango (Ambi). This depends how you love your salad. The same recipe can be used to make Kabuli Chana Salad (White Chickpea). You may like one of the popular salad recipe from my blog: Apple Cucumber Mint Salad.
Why You Would Love This Recipe?
- Vegan and Gluten Free
- Oil Free Salad
- No Sugar
- Low Carb & High Protein
- Flavorful, Crunchy and Healthy Salad
- Omit onions to make it Vrat Salad
- The Best Kala Chana Chaat Recipe Ever!
What is Kala Chana?
Kala chana, also known as black chickpeas or Bengal gram, is a variety of chickpeas that is smaller and darker in color compared to the more commonly known beige or yellow chickpeas. It is widely used in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines. Kala chana has a nutty flavor and a dense, firm texture.
These legumes are a good source of plant-based protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are particularly rich in folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Black Chickpea can be used in various dishes such as curries, stews, salads, and snacks. It can be cooked on its own or combined with other ingredients like vegetables, spices, and herbs to enhance its flavor and nutritional value. It is often soaked and boiled before being used in recipes to ensure tenderness and reduce cooking time.
Ingredients
This recipe needs super easy ingredients that can be procured from a local store and most of it would be in your pantry. Read the Recipe Card for the measurements.
For The Black Chickpea Salad
- Black Chickpea: or Kale Chane / Desi Chane as we commonly call it are highly rich in proteins and calcium. You may also use the same recipe (without any changes) to make White Chickpea Salad.
- Onion: Crunchy raw onions add the depth to this flavorful salad. If you are on fast, you may omit the onions and this energy-rich chana salad would be great for a fasting day.One may use white onions as well.
- Tomato: The Vitamin C rich fresh raw tomatoes add the perfect juiciness to this crunchy salad.
- Lemon juice: Without the tangy fresh lemons, any salad seems boring. Adjust according to your taste. You may add Dry mango powder (amchur) as well.
- Spices: I have added salt, black pepper, green chilies and Red chilly powder. Feel free to reduce the heat by skipping chilies.
- Garnish: Freshly chopped coriander leaves work best in this recipe.
Variations
- Sprout Bean or Chana Salad: This recipe can also be made using sprouted chana or beans. They taste amazing with raw onion and tomato.
- Add another Protein: You may top this salad with raw chunks of Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) to add more protein. But then it won't be a vegan salad. The other proteins can be Moong Dal or Rajma beans.
- Add another green: If you love greens, add a bunch of fresh Kale or spinach leaves to this salad.
- Add another tangy flavor: The tamarind chutney (saunth) can be added to have perfect balance of flavors in this salad. But then this salad won't be sugar free.
- Add Fruit: Topping the Chaat with Anar (pomegranate) is totally Indian style and trust me, you would really love it.
- Dahi Chana Chaat: One of the popular adds on any chaat is Dahi (Curd). Whether it's a gole gappa chaat or papdi, dahi brings the taste of chaat to another level!
- Aloo Chana Chaat: Those who are fan of boiled potatoes, can add chopped or mashed potatoes to this salad.
What To Serve With This Salad?
Black Chickpea salad is a tiny snack and can be had as is. For having it as a meal, you may team it with breads, pasta or soups.
Other Recipes of Boiled Black Chickpea
- Kala Chana Cutlets
- Kala Chana Curry
- Black Chickpea Soup
Detailed Recipe
How To Make The Kala Chana Chaat
- Gather all the ingredients, wash them and chop onion and tomato.
- This recipe uses boiled kale chana. I had boiled the black chickpea a night before. Generally, whenever I make kala chana curry, I store a large bowl from it to make this salad.
- For boiling Kala Chana, soak them for 4-8 hrs in water. Drain the water and add the Kala chana to a pressure cooker. Add salt and water to soak them one inch deep. Give two whistles on full flame and simmer for 15 min. Once the cooker cools off, Take out the kala chana and the water can be used to knead the dough. It's rich in calcium and we have it as a warm kala chana soup as well.
- Take a large bowl and add kala chana, chopped onions, green chilies, tomatoes. Sprinkle salt, black pepper and red chilly powder. Give it a good mix. Add lemon juice and top it with green coriander leaves.
6. The Black Chickpea salad is ready. Enjoy it!
Storage Suggestions
- If you are not making salad the same day, store the room temperature already boiled Black chickpea in refrigerator for making salad the following day.
- The left over salad would be good for a day in refrigerator and not beyond that. Recommended to consume same day as the boiled chickpea are also a day old. Salads taste best when made and eaten fresh.
Expert Tips
- The boiled chana water can be used to knead the dough. It's rich in calcium and we have it as a warm kala chana soup as well.
- This salad would be good for 1 day storage in refrigerator.
- The salad is mild spicy but being an Indian we love the heat in salad and other appetizers. My version of spicy may not be same as yours. Start with less chilly and gradually add more as per your taste.
- You may garnish it with pomegranate, boiled potatoes chunks or raw paneer.
Stories From Kitchen
Kala Chana is very close to my heart. We used to wait for Navratri Puja in family for having Halwa, Chana and Puri and trust me no prasad has ever tasted like that! Made in Desi ghee and when offered to Mata rine, it really is a prasad. I would have loads of chana mixed with Suji halwa and the legacy goes on. My kid also waits for the Navmi Puja to have this decadent treat!
FAQ
A high-protein, high fiber, low cholesterol food, Kala Chana is a great food for weight-loss. Keeps you full for longer.
Soak the kala chana (black chickpeas) overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
A 100g serving of roasted chana provides about 18.64g of protein.
You may also like:
More Healthy Salad Recipes:
- Easy Indian Onion Chutney Recipe (No-Cook Dip For Poppadoms)
- Healthy Beet Recipes- Veg/ Vegan, Easy & Creative
- Beet Salad With Feta Cheese and Walnuts {Easy Recipe}
- Mashed Potato Salad with Green Mung Beans {Veg + No-Mayo}
- Roast Pumpkin Spinach Salad With Sesame- Fall Salad
- 10 Minute Vegetarian Chickpea Salad With Peanut Butter {Simple & Mediterranean Style}
If you make this recipe, share the image of it on our instagram account @veg.buffet or twitter account @vegbuffet
Kala Chana Chaat Recipe| Boiled Chana Chaat Salad {Vegan Gluten Free}
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Chopping board
Ingredients
- 2 cup Boiled Black Chickpea can boil a day before
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 small green chilly chopped (optional)
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice can use raw mango grated or Dry mango powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilly Powder optional
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients, wash them and chop onion and tomato.
- This recipe uses boiled kale chana. I had boiled the black chickpea a night before. Generally, whenever I make kala chana curry, I store a large bowl from it to make this salad. For boiling Kala Chana, soak them for 4-8 hrs in water. Drain the water and add the Kala chana to a pressure cooker. Add salt and water to soak them one inch deep. Give two whistles on full flame and simmer for 15 min. Once the cooker cools off, Take out the kala chana and the water can be used to knead the dough. It's rich in calcium and we have it as a warm kala chana soup as well
- Take a large bowl and add kala chana, chopped onions, green chilies, tomatoes. Sprinkle salt, black pepper and red chilly powder. Give it a good mix. Add lemon juice and top it with green coriander leaves.
- The Black Chickpea salad is ready. Enjoy it!
Notes
- The boiled chana water can be used to knead the dough. It's rich in calcium and we have it as a warm kala chana soup as well.
- If you are not making salad the same day, store the room temperature already boiled Black chickpea in refrigerator for making salad the following day.
- This salad would be good for 1 day storage in refrigerator.
- The salad is mild spicy but being an Indian we love the heat in salad and other appetizers. My version of spicy may not be same as yours. Start with less chilly and gradually add more as per your taste.
- You may garnish it with pomegranate, boiled potatoes chunks or raw paneer.
Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1 bowl Servings: 4 Amount per serving Calories 150 % Daily Value* Total Fat 2.2g 3% Saturated Fat 0.3g 1% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 202mg 9% Total Carbohydrate 26g 9% Dietary Fiber 7.2g 26% Total Sugars 5.6g Protein 20.8g Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Calcium 51mg 4% Iron 3mg 15% Potassium 325mg 7% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Aditi says
It's a wonderful post and recipe. so detailed..thanks
Deepti says
Thank you Aditi for the kind words!
Emma says
Wonderful recipe. Made it for my daughter and she loved it. Can you share the gravy recipe for Black chickpea? Thanks 🙂
Deepti says
I am so glad to know this, Emma. I have posted a gravy recipe for White Chickpea. You may refer to that for now. It's very similar to black chickpea gravy recipe. I would surely try creating that too. Thanks so much.
Ann Brady says
Apparently I have baby mouth. A teaspoon of black pepper AND a teaspoon of red chili powder was WAY too hot for me. Maybe I should have used one or the other. I will try this recipe again with less heat. Looks so pretty and I love everything in it.
Deepti says
Hi Ann, thanks for stopping by. I am sorry to learn that this Kala Chana Chaat was very hot for you. You are right, I mentioned the optional red chilly for that reason. Here, In India, our spice appetite is a lot and I specify in my posts that my version of spicy may not be the same as yours, especially for my audience whose preference is low heat. I guess I missed mentioning it in this post. I will update it soon. I am glad that you still wish to try it again with fewer spices and yes, it's one of my favorite salads.
Happy Cooking!!
Olivia Brown says
Perfect Salad. Made it in a jiffy and I chose just half of the chilies mentioned and it was not very hot for me! Thanks!
Deepti says
I am so glad to know! Thanks for sharing, Olivia!