Ghugni – tender brown chickpeas (desi Chana) in a savory onion curry topped with crunchy onions and fresh cilantro – is a delicious meal served with flatbread, roti or crackers.
Contents
Ghugni is a savory Indian bean curry. Variations of ghugni are made in the Indian states of Bihar, Odissa, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal. The most popular version uses dried white peas. This ghugni uses brown chickpeas (kala chana or desi chana) and is inspired by the Uttar Pradesh version.
You cook brown chickpeas (aka kala chana) in the Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, then simmer them in a deeply seasoned sauce. The brown chickpeas are scrumptious compared to the creamy white chickpeas and they pair well with the delicious onion sauce. This is a dry dish served as a snack or as part of a meal, served with onion, coriander, cumin and lots of fresh lime juice!
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Why you will love Ghugni
- tender brown chickpeas in an addictive and easy to make curry sauce
- rich in protein and fiber
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free
- versatile – use other chickpeas or beans, if you prefer!
More chickpea curries
Recipe sheet
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Kala Chana Ghugni (brown chickpea curry)
Ghugni – tender brown chickpeas in a savory curry topped with crunchy onions and fresh cilantro – is a delicious meal served with flatbread, roti or crackers.
Servings: 4
calories: 200calories
Ingredients
- 1 cup (176 g) brown chickpeas, kala chana, or desi chana, soaked overnight or at least for 1 hour
For the sauce:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne or Indian red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (160 g) thinly sliced red onion
- 1 strong green pepper like Serrano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste or 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 inch minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For garnish:
- 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion
- 1/4 cup (4 g) chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
- 2-3 coffee spoons lime juice or as needed
Instructions
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Soak the brown chickpeas if you haven’t already, then drain them. Add them to an Instant Pot or pressure cooker and add 2 cups of water. Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 hour (bean mode) or pressure cook for 45 minutes in a regular stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat.
-
When pressure cooking is complete, naturally release pressure for 10 minutes then quickly release. Open the lid and check if the chickpeas are cooked. Drain and reserve the water. Reserve the drained chickpeas.
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make the sauce while heating the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and mix. Cook until the cumin seeds change color and darken significantly. Then add the bay leaves, all the ground spices, the minced onion and a good pinch of salt and mix. Cook the onion for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, add splashes of water in between if the onion gets too dry.
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Once the onion is cooked, add the ginger-garlic paste and the green chilli and mix. Cook another minute then add the salt, cooked brown chickpeas and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved water and mix. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, open the lid and mix well again. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Turn off the fire.
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Serve transfer cooked chickpeas to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro and red onion. Sprinkle with toasted ground cumin and add lime juice as needed and serve.
Remarks
To make this recipe with white chickpeas, simply pressure cook them for 15 minutes. You can also use other chickpeas or beans for this recipe. You can even use dry white peas (vatana).
This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free as written.
Nutrition
Nutritional intakes
Kala Chana Ghugni (brown chickpea curry)
Amount per serving
calories 200
Calories from fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated fat 0.1g1%
Sodium 351mg15%
Potassium 484mg14%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
3g fiber13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 354UI7%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 117mg12%
Iron 3mg17%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- brown chickpeas – Also called kala chana or desi chana Be sure to soak them overnight. You can also use white chickpeas, other beans, or dried white peas to make this recipe.
- oil – Toast the cumin seeds and sauté.
- Spices – Cumin seeds, bay leaves, turmeric, cayenne pepper or Indian red chili powder, cumin, coriander, and black pepper add so much flavor to brown chickpeas!
- aromatics – Onion, green chili, and ginger garlic paste add even more layers of amazing flavor.
- Garnishes – Crispy fresh onions, zesty cilantro, aromatic toasted cumin, and plenty of lime juice add a fresh flavor profile that makes this simple bean curry so addictive!
Advice
- Soak the beans. Soaking significantly shortens the cooking time.
- Make sure the cumin seeds are dark when you roast them. That’s how you’ll know they have that really good roast taste.
How to make Kala Chana Ghugni
Soak the brown chickpeas if you haven’t already, then drain them. Add them to an Instant Pot or pressure cooker and add two cups of water. Close the lid and pressure cook for one hour (bean mode) or pressure cook for 45 minutes in a regular stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat.
After the pressure cooker is done, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes then quickly release. Open the lid and check if the chickpeas are cooked. Drain and reserve the cooking water. Reserve the drained chickpeas.
Prepare the sauce by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and mix. Cook until the cumin seeds change color and darken significantly.
Then add the bay leaves, all the ground spices, the minced onion and a good pinch of salt and mix. Cook the onion for six to eight minutes until golden brown, add splashes of water in between if the onion gets too dry.
Once the onion is cooked, add the ginger-garlic paste and the green chilli and mix. Cook another minute then add the salt, cooked brown chickpeas and 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved water and mix.
Cover and cook for six to eight minutes and mix again. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Turn off the fire.
To serve, transfer cooked chickpeas to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro and red onion. Sprinkle with toasted ground cumin and add lime juice as needed and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Skip the first cooking stage and add the drained canned chickpeas directly to the sauce
Ghugni is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free as written.
Ghugni is an Indian chickpea or pea curry with lots of amazing spices. There are many ways to do this, depending on the region.
Yes. Add 4 times the water and cover and cook over medium heat for 2 hours.