Fresh green chickpeas cooked in a light, thin, aromatic broth with ginger, black pepper and coriander — the winter soup of Punjab when fresh green chana are harvested from the fields in November. Simple, clean and deeply seasonal.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh green chickpeas (hara chana — available November to February; substitute with fresh or frozen peas if unavailable)
2 tbsp ghee
1 onion — finely chopped
1 inch ginger — finely grated
2 green chilli — finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water or light vegetable broth
salt to taste
a squeeze of lemon
fresh coriander for garnish
Method
Shell the green chana: If using whole fresh green chickpeas on the stalk, shell them — press the pod and the fresh chickpea pops out. You need 2 cups of shelled green chickpeas.
Heat ghee: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pot. Add cumin seeds — crackle.
Cook onion: Add finely chopped onion. Cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add ginger and green chilli: Add grated ginger and chopped green chilli. Stir 1 minute.
Add green chana: Add the fresh green chickpeas. Stir to coat with the ghee and aromatics.
Add water or broth: Add 4 cups water. Bring to a boil.
Simmer until tender: Reduce to medium. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the green chana is completely tender.
Add black pepper and salt: Add black pepper and salt. Stir.
Partially blend: Using a hand blender, give the soup 3 to 4 short pulses — the goal is to break some of the chickpeas while leaving most whole. This creates a textured, slightly thickened broth.
Finish and serve: Add a squeeze of lemon. Scatter fresh coriander. Serve hot in deep bowls with toasted bread or alone as a starter.
Note: Fresh green chickpeas (hara chana) are a winter seasonal ingredient in Punjab — harvested from the chickpea fields in the cool months and available for a short window. Eating fresh green chana directly from the field while walking — called chana chhabna — is a widespread Punjab winter practice. The shorba (thin soup) made from fresh green chana is a preparation specific to the chickpea-growing districts of Punjab and Haryana.