Kale Chane Ka Shorba (Black Chickpea Soup)
This creamy and nutritious black chickpea soup is perfect for cool nights. It is not only delicious, but also rich in iron and protein. Pair it with some crusty, buttered sourdough toast for a light supper. I made this soup in an electric pressure cooker, but have included stovetop cooking instructions below.
Recipe
Kale Chane Ka Shorba
(Makes 3-4 servings)
Ingredients
1 cup kala chana (dried black chickpeas)
2 tsp oil or ghee
1 bay leaf
1 whole black cardamom
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Water as needed
Salt to taste
2 tbsp milk/cream/coconut milk
1/8 tsp garam masala (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Method
MultiPot (6-quart or larger) -
Rinse the chickpeas well and soak them in water overnight. Rinse again and set aside.
Select the Sauté Mode on the electric pressure cooker and set the temperature to Normal.
Add the oil/ghee to the inner pot along with the bay leaf and black cardamom. Once the whole spices turn aromatic, add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to stir until the raw smell disappears (add a little water if the paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pot). Stir in the tomatoes, ground coriander and chilli powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil separates from the masala. Add the drained chickpeas and mix well. Stir in three cups of water and season the mixture to taste with salt.
Press Cancel to exit the Sauté mode. Close the lid and turn the steam vent handle to the Sealing position. Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes (the MultiPot will take extra time to reach full pressure). Once the the cooking time is up, press Cancel and allow the pressure to release naturally.
Once the float valve drops down, open the lid and remove the inner pot. Set it near a window or under a fan to allow the soup to cool. One cooled, remove the bay leaf and black cardamom and discard them. Purée the soup in a blender until completely smooth. Strain the soup back into the inner pot. Place it inside the MultiPot and select the Sauté mode (it should already be set to Normal).
Once the soup comes back to a boil, press Cancel. Stir in the milk (or cream/coconut milk), the garam masala powder and lime juice.
Serve the soup hot garnished with the chopped cilantro.
Stovetop -
Rinse the chickpeas well and soak them in water overnight. Rinse again and set aside.
In a pressure cooker, heat the oil/ghee along with the bay leaf and black cardamom. Once the whole spices turn aromatic, add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to stir until the raw smell disappears (add a little water if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot). Stir in the tomatoes, ground coriander and chilli powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil separates from the masala. Add the drained chickpeas and mix well. Stir in three cups of water and season the mixture to taste with salt.
Cover and pressure cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Once the pressure releases, remove the lid and place the cooker near a window or under a fan to allow the soup to cool. One cooled, remove the bay leaf and black cardamom and discard them. Purée the soup in a blender until completely smooth, then strain it back into the pressure cooker.
Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the milk (or cream/coconut milk), the garam masala powder. Turn off the flame and stir in the lime juice.
Serve hot garnished with the chopped cilantro.
