This Indian bell pepper kala chana curry is a quick, everyday curry made with black chickpeas, bell peppers, spinach, and basic spices. It is simple enough for a weekday meal and still feels filling with basmati rice, roti, or millet.
I like recipes like this when I want a vegetable-forward curry without making a heavy masala base. The bell peppers add a soft sweetness, the spinach blends in gently, and the lemon juice brightens everything at the end.
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A No Onion No Tomato Curry That Still Feels Flavorful
This curry is different from regular kala chana curry because it does not use onion or tomato. Here, cooked kala chana is stir-fried with bell peppers, spinach, ginger, green chili, and simple spices.
The bell peppers give enough flavor and texture, so you do not miss the onion or tomato.
This is a dry-style curry, so it works well for everyday meals. I cook kala chana in the Instant Pot ahead of time for weekly meal prep, and this curry is a good way to turn it into a quick meal.
If you like simple vegetable-forward curries like this, you may also like my Indian vegetable curry recipes post.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
How to Make Indian Bell Pepper Kala Chana Curry
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter for about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add chopped ginger and sliced green chili. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add sliced bell peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: If using spinach stalks, add them and cook for a couple of minutes.
Step 5: Add cooked kala chana and chopped spinach. Mix well.
Step 6: Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spinach wilts. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and black salt.
Step 7: Stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat.
Step 8: Turn off the heat and add fresh cilantro and lemon juice. Mix once and serve warm.
Serving Tips
This bell pepper kala chana curry works well as a dry side dish.
- Serve it with chapati or any paratha like zucchini paratha or pumpkin paratha. Since the curry is dry, you can also use it as a filling for chapati wraps.
- For a rice meal, serve it with plain basmati rice. I like to cook basmati rice in an Instant Pot while making this curry on the stovetop to save time.
- Millet also pairs well with this dry curry. Check out the Rice Cooker Millet recipe to cook the fluffy millet easily.
- Add a fresh side like chopped vegetable salad or Indian tomato onion salad to balance the warm curry.
- If you like a cooling side, serve it with Spinach Raita or Cucumber Raita.
Recipe
Indian Bell Pepper Kala Chana Curry
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Ingredients
- 1.5 cups chickpeas I used kala chana, brown chickpeas
- 1 cup bell peppers thinly sliced
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 1 green chili sliced
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black salt optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon oil
Instructions
- Temper the spices: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon oil, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- Let them splutter for about 30 seconds. The mustard seeds should pop before adding the next ingredients.
- Add ginger and green chili: Add chopped ginger and sliced green chili.1 teaspoon ginger, 1 green chili
- Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the bell peppers: Add sliced bell peppers to the pan.1 cup bell peppers
- Stir well so the peppers are coated with the tempering. Cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- The bell peppers should soften slightly but still have a little crunch.
- Add kala chana and spinach: Add cooked kala chana and chopped spinach.1.5 cups chickpeas, 1 cup spinach
- Stir everything together. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spinach starts to wilt.
- Add the spices: Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and black salt.¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon black salt, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix well so the spices coat the chickpeas and vegetables evenly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat.
- Finish the curry: Turn off the heat and add fresh cilantro and lemon juice.1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Stir once and serve warm.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Start with well-cooked kala chana. If the chickpeas are undercooked, they will stay firm even after stir-frying. For a detailed cooking guide, check my Instant Pot Kala chana recipe.
- Let the mustard seeds pop fully before adding ginger and green chili. This gives the curry a better flavor.
- Do not overcook the bell peppers. Cook them only until slightly tender. They should still hold their shape.
- Add spinach after the bell peppers soften. Spinach cooks quickly and needs only a couple of minutes.
- If using spinach stalks, add them with bell peppers as they need time to soften.
- Add lemon juice at the end after turning off the heat. This keeps the flavor fresh.
- Black salt is optional, but it adds a nice flavor to this no-onion, no-tomato curry.
- This curry tastes best fresh, but leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a pan with a small splash of water. The bell peppers will soften a little after reheating.
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Nutrition
I hope you try this Indian Bell Pepper Kala Chana Curry for a simple no onion no tomato meal. Please leave a comment and let me know how you served it. You can also explore more Indian chickpea recipes for everyday meal ideas.
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