Kala Chana (Bengal Gram)

The small, dark desi chickpea — kala chana — from certified organic farms, unpolished. This is a genuinely different pulse from the pale kabuli chickpea despite the shared name: smaller, tougher-skinned, nuttier, and with a notably lower glycaemic index, which makes it the more useful chickpea for anyone managing blood sugar. It is also the pulse that chana dal is split from. Used boiled for chaat, in Sundal, sprouted, or slow-cooked whole. The dark skin carries most of the fibre and a good share of the antioxidants, so leaving it unpolished is not a cosmetic decision. Needs an overnight soak and a longer cook than kabuli. High in protein, iron and fibre, and it holds its shape through long cooking rather than collapsing. Pure & Sure sells this under the name Bengal Gram rather than Kala Chana; confirmed as the same pulse and the same SKU. Soak overnight, and expect a longer cook than the pale kabuli variety takes.