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Ghugni chura
Black chickpea curry with flattened rice
Bihar's black chickpea curry (घुघनी चूड़ा) piled over crisp flattened rice with raw onion and lemon (plus overnight soaking)
In Patna and the towns along the Ganges, ghugni chura is the morning and evening snack people queue for at the tea stall: a spicy, onion-rich curry of small black chickpeas served alongside chura, flattened rice that is fried or toasted in mustard oil until it crackles. You scoop a bit of each into your mouth together, with raw onion and green chilli for crunch. At home it is just as likely to be breakfast on a winter Sunday or what is offered to guests with tea. Chef's tip: cook the chana until it squashes easily between two fingers; firm chickpeas never soak up the masala.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the ghugni
- 7 oz kala chana (small black chickpeas)soaked overnight
- 3 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chillieschopped
- 1 tomatochopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
For the chura
- 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil
- ¼ tsp salt
To serve
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz kala chana (small black chickpeas) and pressure-cook with 3 ¼ cups water and ½ tsp salt for 6–7 whistles (about 25 minutes), or simmer in a covered pan for 1–1½ hours, until soft enough to crush between your fingers. Keep the cooking water.
25 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a kadai on high until it smokes lightly, then turn to medium. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp cumin seeds; when the cumin crackles, add 2 onions and fry for 10–12 minutes until a deep reddish-brown. Under-browned onions are the usual mistake: the colour and sweetness of ghugni come from them.
12 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and 2 green chillies for a minute, then add 1 tomato, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander and ¾ tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes, adding a splash of the chana water if it sticks, until the tomato melts and oil separates.
6 minStep 4: Add the chana and about 250 ml of their cooking water. Simmer on medium-low for 8–10 minutes, lightly mashing a few chickpeas against the pan, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Sprinkle in ½ tsp garam masala.
10 minStep 5: Meanwhile, heat 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan on medium-low. Add 5 ½ oz thick poha (flattened rice, chura) and ¼ tsp salt and stir for 5–6 minutes until the flakes turn crisp, pale gold and rustle against the spoon.
6 minStep 6: Serve the ghugni hot in bowls with a heap of chura on the side, topped with 1 red onion, ⅓ oz fresh coriander and a squeeze of 1 lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghugni chura take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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