Instant Pot Kala Chana
Flavorful, Punjabi style instant pot kala chana masala makes a super healthy and satisfying vegetarian dinner when served with piping hot rice! If you’re lucky to have any leftovers, it will make filling lunch the next day too!
- Prep time
- 8 hr
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup Dry Kala chana (black chickpeas or desi chana)
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 medium or ¾ cups Red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- 1 Green chili (finely chopped)
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 medium Tomatoes (pureed)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 ½ cups Water (for pressure cooking)
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Lime juice (or lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Pre-Plan: Wash the kala chana under running cold water or rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore. Then soak in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Then discard the soaking water.
- 2
Turn the instant pot on with saute mode. Once hot add oil and cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds sizzle a bit.
- 3
Add onion and crushed ginger, garlic, green chili. Sprinkle a pinch of salt to speed up the cooking process.
- 4
Mix and saute for 3-4 minutes or until onion becomes soft and there is no more raw smell of ginger garlic.
- 5
Add pureed tomato and mix. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes or until it thickens slightly and not much watery.
- 6
Now add remaining salt and spice powders (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder). Mix really well.
- 7
Add soaked kala chana and fresh water. Stir well so everything is combined well. Cover the instant pot with a lid (make sure the valve is on the sealing position). Cancel the saute mode and pressure cook (manual, high pressure) for 30 minutes.
- 8
Let it NPR (natural pressure release) if you have time. If in rush then let it NPR for 10 minutes and then QPR (quick pressure release) by pressing the valve or changing the valve position. Once the pin drops open the lid.
- 9
Add garam masala, squeeze the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Mix everything well and kala chana masala is ready.