Kala Chana Chaat Salad with Cilantro & Tamarind Chutney
Protein-rich black chickpea chaat tossed with fresh vegetables and a two-chutney dressing of cilantro and tamarind. Tangy, herbaceous, and ready in minutes once the beans are cooked.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the kala chana
- 1 cup dried kala chana (black chickpeas) rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for cooking
- 3 cups water for soaking overnight
- 2 1/2 cups water for cooking
For the chutney dressing
- 3 tablespoons cilantro chutney (mint-coriander chutney) homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons tamarind chutney (imli chutney) adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon water only if needed to loosen
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala plus extra for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon black salt (kala namak) optional
For the salad
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup tomato seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup bell pepper finely diced, optional
- 1 green chili finely minced, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts crushed
- 2 tablespoons fine sev for garnish, optional
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils optional
Instructions
Soak and cook the kala chana
- Rinse dried kala chana and soak in 3 cups water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse again.
- Instant Pot: Combine soaked chana, 2 1/2 cups fresh water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pressure cook on High for 30 minutes (Bean/Chili mode). Natural release 10 minutes, then release remaining pressure. Beans should be tender but hold their shape when bitten.
- Stovetop pressure cooker: Cook with 2 1/2 cups water and salt for 6 to 8 whistles on medium-low heat. Let pressure release naturally.
- Drain cooked chana and spread on a plate to cool completely. Warm beans will wilt the raw vegetables.
Make the chutney dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney until smooth. Add water 1 tsp at a time if the mix is too thick to coat the beans.
- Stir in roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, and black salt if using. Taste for bright herb, sweet-sour tamarind, and a gentle chaat edge. Adjust tamarind for more tang or cilantro chutney for more freshness.
Assemble the chaat salad
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled kala chana, onion, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, green chili, cilantro, and mint.
- Pour chutney dressing over the salad and toss gently until every bean is coated. Start with about three-quarters of the dressing; add the rest if the bowl looks dry.
- Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with crushed peanuts, sev, and pomegranate arils if using. Dust with a pinch of extra chaat masala and serve immediately.
Notes
Soak overnight: Dried kala chana needs at least 8 hours soaking. Active prep and cook time is about 50 minutes once beans are soaked.
Canned shortcut: Use 2 1/2 cups drained canned kala chana or brown chickpeas. Rinse well, pat dry, and skip the cooking steps. Cool before tossing.
Chutney balance: Store-bought tamarind chutney varies in sweetness. If yours is very sweet, add an extra pinch of black salt or a few drops of lemon juice. If cilantro chutney is very thick, thin with water, not extra oil.
No-soak method: Rinse dried chana 3 times and pressure cook 50 minutes in the Instant Pot with the same water ratio. Texture may be slightly less even than soaked beans.
Make ahead: Cooked kala chana keeps 4 days refrigerated. Chop vegetables up to 1 day ahead. Mix chutney dressing 2 days ahead. Assemble within 30 minutes of eating.
Storage: Undressed components keep 3 to 4 days. Dressed chaat is best eaten the same day; vegetables soften and sev loses crunch overnight.
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