Guess What? You Can Cook Chana (Chickpeas) Without Pressure Cooker, Here Are 5 Alternatives

Chickpeas, more commonly known as chana in some regions of India, is a versatile ingredient that can be spotted in every Indian household. There's a plethora of dishes that can be prepared with this single ingredient. Honestly, just about anyone can whip up a delicious dish out of our humble chane. The only thing that restricts many of the novices out there are the pre-requisites, chana needs to be soaked in water for at least 8-12 hours, before the actual cooking. This method is important because the dry chickpeas absorb the water, making it soft and chewy in texture. This is why many opt for the instant method of preparing the chickpeas in a pressure cooker but the result may not always be satisfactory. Sometimes it becomes too mushy or remains uncooked in the process. The recent viral Kokilaben-Rashi video also proves that there are risks while cooking with a pressure cooker if mishandled. 

Jokes apart, there are plenty of ways to cook chane, if you don’t have a pressure cooker or don’t want to use it. These handy tips and tricks will surely make your meal preparation a fun experience.

If you want to enjoy your favourite show while cooking, then this is the best way to do it. Simply add chickpeas to a saucepan with water and let it boil for 1-2 hours. Remember to pour four times the water to the quantity of chickpeas.

2. Aluminium Foil

This is a fast-forward process of cooking on the stove. After water reaches a boil, you need to carefully cover the pan with an aluminium foil sheet, and then cover it with the lid. This process creates a pressure-cooker effect where it blocks the steam to escape, giving you perfectly boiled chickpeas.

3. Steamer

If you look at it, steamers are essentially handy and light version of pressure cookers. They might not be creating high-pressure steam but have the ability to cook the chickpeas without any hassle.

4. Oven

In this process the chickpeas are cooked in less than 1 hour. All you need is take dry chickpeas and water, then add them into Dutch oven or large pot with a lid. Place the utensil in the oven and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 75 minutes. In this method you need to make sure that the ratio of chickpea to water should be 2:4.

5. Microwave

If you are looking for speed, then the microwave is the best option for you. This essential kitchen appliance is available in almost every urban household. You would be glad to know that this prepares the chickpeas at almost the same time as a pressure cooker or even faster.