Recipe Of Heeng Vaale Kaale Chane Ki Chaat | Asafoetida Flavoured Black Chickpeas Chaat | Step Wise

Hi All!

Today I’m sharing a recipe that’s a family favourite. I’ve been cooking the Kala Chana/ Black Chickpeas for ages now in several ways and whenever I made them, there  was never a hard and fast set procedure that I would follow. Whatever ingredient, spice fancied that day or came into my mind was added and the Chana cooked.

A few years back, on one such occasion I made the Chana a bit differently. I had taken the extra precaution to over cook the Chana so that it was cooked more softer and almost on the verge of getting mushy and then again I cooked it like the other times, whatever came into my head I just added and made the Chana. To my surprise and delight it turned out finger licking tasty. Every one in the family loved it to the core and DH decided to call it ‘Heeng Vala Chana’. He also demanded that I should make them  again the same way, very soon.

When the demand to make it again, in the exact similar fashion came, I sat down to think and recall what all I had put and in what proportions. I recalled that I had added the asafoetida/heeng two times by mistake while cooking, as I had thought that I did not add it in the first instance, so there was a sharp taste coming from the Heeng in the Chana that added more to the flavou. Then I recalled and noted down all the spices that I added and the procedure I followed that made it different that day.

Recalling and noting down helped me as I could reproduce the same taste over and over again. As you can understand very well by now  that the Chana preparation has become a frequent visitor in my kitchen. Later on it was taken up to the next level by making a Chaat out of it which was even more liked and enjoyed by everyone. This preparation is not only popular with my family now but whosoever has tasted this ‘Heeng Vala Chana’ has loved it and asked for more.

Since, it has a lot of heeng/asafoetida in it, the Chickpeas get digested easily without causing any stomach problems.

Heeng Vaale Kale Chane Ki Chaat

हींग वाले काले चने की चाट​

Soaking Time: 6-8hrs | Cooking Time: 45mins | Preparation Time: 30mins | Serves: 3-4 | Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients

1-1/2cups dry kala chana/ black chickpeas

2medium potatoes, cubed

2tsp ghee

2tsp oil

1/8tsp carom seeds/ajwain

1tsp strong aroma heeng/asafoetida

2-1/2tsp red chilli powder

1tsp amchoor/dry mango powder

1/2tbsp kala namak/ black salt powder

a pinch of methidana/fenugreek seeds

6tsp coriander powder

2tsp cumin powder

2tsp roasted cumin powder

1/2tsp turmeric powder

a pinch of cooking soda

For Chaat and Garnish

green chutney with gooseberries/amla

chopped coriander

chopped onions

curds beaten with salt and sugar to taste

chopped tomatoes

bareek sev/nylonsev

pomegranate seeds

Method

 

Wash and soak the chickpeas for 6-8hrs. They soak water and double in volume.

Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker and add 1tsp salt and a pinch of cooking soda. After the full pressure comes, simmer the flame and cook for 30mins. Let the pressure drop, strain all the water.

Heat oil and ghee together. Add fenugreek seeds. Once the fenugreek seeds start changing colour, add ajwain and half of the heeng, followed by the potatoes.

Mix thoroughly and cover with a lid to cook the potatoes.

Now, put all the dry spices except the remaining heeng and sauté the mix thoroughly.

Add the boiled chickpeas and mix properly. Also add salt to taste. Cover and cook for 10mins on a low flame so that all spices and their flavours get absorbed by the chickpeas.

Add the remaining heeng, mix and mush lightly. Cook for 2-3mins more.

One can eat the Chana as it is at this stage but my family loves the chaat.

For chaat, take the chana in a plate. Put a few spoons of curds, followed by green chutney, onions, tomatoes, sev and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.