By Aditi Saraswat
October 16, 2026
During Navratri Ashtami bhog, kala chana is prepared as part of the traditional kanjak prasad and is served along with puri and sooji halwa. The black chickpeas, or kala chana, are boiled, tossed in a cumin-ginger tadka without onion or garlic and cooked with dry spices to make a lightly tangy, savoury dish that does not have a rich gravy.
1 cup kala chana (black chickpeas) 3 cups water, for pressure cooking 1 tbsp ghee or oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp grated ginger 1 green chilli, finely chopped ½ tsp coriander powder ½ tsp cumin powder ¼ tsp red chilli powder, optional ½ tsp amchur powder Salt to taste 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander Water, as needed
Thoroughly rinse kala chana and soak it overnight in water. This will soften the legumes and help them cook evenly.
Drain the soaked chana, add fresh water to it, and pressure-cook for about 3 to 4 whistles. Reserve some cooking liquid to adjust the consistency while cooking.
In a pan, heat ghee or oil and add cumin and hing to it. Let these bloom, then add ginger and green chilli to it. Cook for a short span briefly until aromatic without browning.
To this, now add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix in the cooked chana, salt and a little reserved liquid so the spices coat evenly.
Cook it until the excess liquid is absorbed and the chana appears glossy. Add amchur and fresh chopped coriander, then serve warm with puri and sooji halwa.