Pin Chickpeas or chana as we call it is highly nutritious and rich in protein. How do you like to eat chana? I love it in any form especially chana masala with roti is my most favorite. I always make sundal atleast twice a month as gugu loves it. Generally we cook chana using pressure cooker. But this recipe given here is for cooking chickpeas in instant pot which is an easy way when compared to pressure cooker. Chana masala is one of the most popular sidedishes especially with kids.
How to cook instant pot chickpeas?
First soak chickpeas in enough water for abpout 8 hrs. You can do that directly in instant pot or in a seperate bowl .I prefer to do it seperately as I usually rinse it before cooking. Though there is a way to cook chickpeas even without soaking in instant pot I prefer to always soak and cook for perfect soft chickpeas. Also it is always good to discard the soaked water then rinse it well before cooking. After that add rinsed, drained chickpeas to instant pot along with salt and water, cook till mentioned time.
Variations in cooking chickpeas:
You can either soak and cook or cook without soaking. You can even soak in hot water for quick soaking incase you forget. If you want to cook chickpeas without soaking then set instant pot in pressure cook mode high for about 90 minutes. If you are not planning to store so then you can add a pinch of turmeric powder.
Serving:
You can use cooked chickpeas in making
Salads Curries Hummus Sundal Pulao Biryani etc.
Storage suggestion:
Cooked chickpeas stores well in fridge for about 3 days but make sure to drain water before storing. You can use the water for making sambar, soup or any curries etc. You can even freeze cooked chickpeas for about 15 days. Thaw it before using it for recipes. Pin
Similar instant pot recipes:
Instant pot a begineers guide Basmati rice Hard boiled eggs Quinoa Dal
Pin If you have any more questions about this instant pot chickpeas recipe do mail me at [email protected] Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter . Tried this instant pot chickpeas recipe? Do let me know how you liked it.Tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
How to cook chana in Instant pot
1.To begin with soak chickpeas in enough water for atleast 8 hrs or overnight.Pin 2.This is how it looks after 8 hrs.Pin 3.Rinse it well add it to instant pot.Pin 4.After that add 5 cups water to it.Pin 5.Add rock salt to it.Pin 6.Mix it once.If you want you can add a pinch of turmeric powder to it.Pin 7.Close with lid.Set pressure cook mode in high for 15 mins.Pin 8.Now the instant pot has started.It takes few mins to change from ON to timer and only when then the timer is shown the actual cooking time starts. Pin 9.Inititally the steel button is down. Pin 10.Inititally the steel knob is down and when it starts to cook it automatically goes up as shown.When the knob is up it means cooking is in process/started and when its down pressure is released and you are ready to open the lid.Do not open the lid when the knob is up. Pin 11.Once timer is 0, it automatically goes to keep warm mode. Let the pressure release by itself, it takes around 15-20 mins. Pin 12.Cooked chana is ready! Pin 13.Soft and not mushy chana is ready.Pin 14.Drain water.Pin 15.Press to check.It should be soft when pressed.Pin 16.Finally reserve the collected water here. The collected water can be used for curries,rasam or soup etc.Pin To summarize soft perfectly cooked chana is ready!
Expert Tips
If you like slightly crunchy chana then 10 mins would be enough I prefer to cook them soft so usually 15 mins is my cooking time. Always add salt while cooking chana. Open the lid only after the steel knob goes down. Always keep your fingers at a safe distance while manually pressure releasing.
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