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HOW TO USE CHANZA

Add protein to meals you already cook.

Chanza works across cuisines and dish types. Boil it once, then use it anywhere — curries, stir-fries, wraps, rice dishes, pastas, and more.

The basics

Three steps. That's it.

Chanza cooks like dried pasta. No soaking, no guesswork.

Boiling Chanza in water 1

Boil

Add Chanza to 6× boiling water. Rolling boil for 25 minutes.

Draining boiled Chanza 2

Drain

Drain fully. Pat dry if using in dry dishes or stir-fries.

Cooking Chanza in a dish 3

Cook

Add to any dish as your protein. It absorbs flavour from whatever you're cooking.

Prep tip: Boil a bigger batch and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Use it across multiple meals during the week.

13 ways to use it

Where Chanza Fits

Click any card to see step-by-step guidance, tips, and meal ideas.

Curries & gravies Beginner

Chanza absorbs the sauce and picks up the flavour of any curry or gravy as it simmers.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Cook your masala base (onion, tomato, spices)
  3. Add boiled Chanza to the gravy
  4. Stir gently to coat
  5. Simmer 8–12 minutes to absorb flavour
  6. Finish with fresh herbs

Tips

Let it simmer long enough to absorb the gravy. The longer it sits in sauce, the more flavourful it gets.

Watch out for

  • Overcrowding the pan
  • Not enough sauce for absorption

Example meals

  • Palak-style
  • Tomato-onion masala
  • Makhani-style
  • Korma-style
  • Coconut curry
Dry masala dishes

Works well in sabzi-style dry dishes — holds shape and coats in spice mix.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Pat dry thoroughly
  3. Heat oil in a pan
  4. Toast whole spices until fragrant
  5. Add Chanza and toss 5–7 minutes
  6. Finish with fresh herbs and lemon

Tips

Pat dry well before adding to the pan. Moisture prevents the spice coating from sticking properly.

Watch out for

  • Adding too much moisture
  • Cooking on low heat (use medium-high)

Example meals

  • Masala stir-fry
  • Dry sabzi
  • Jeera-style dry dish
Stir-fries Beginner

High-heat stir-fry is a natural home — quick to prepare, absorbs sauce, holds together.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Prep vegetables and sauce
  3. Heat wok or pan on high
  4. Cook aromatics (garlic, ginger)
  5. Add vegetables, toss
  6. Add Chanza and sauce, toss 3–5 minutes

Tips

Keep the heat high and keep things moving. Chanza gets a nice sear if the wok is hot enough.

Watch out for

  • Overcrowding the wok
  • Adding sauce too early

Example meals

  • Indo-Chinese stir-fry
  • Garlic-chilli stir-fry
Rice dishes & biryani Beginner

Folds into layered rice dishes and absorbs the steam flavour during dum or final cook.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Cook rice separately (par-boil for biryani)
  3. Layer rice and Chanza in a heavy-bottomed pot
  4. Seal and dum (slow steam) for 15–20 minutes

Tips

Marinate the boiled Chanza in yoghurt and spices before layering for deeper flavour.

Watch out for

  • Opening the lid during dum
  • Using overcooked rice

Example meals

  • Biryani
  • Pulao
  • Fried rice
  • Jeera rice
Tikka, grills & skewers Beginner

Firm texture holds up on a grill or skewer, takes on a charred exterior.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Marinate for 20+ minutes (yoghurt, spices, oil)
  3. Thread onto skewers with vegetables
  4. Grill or pan-sear on high heat until charred

Tips

Oil the grill grates well. Longer marination = better flavour. Overnight is ideal.

Watch out for

  • Skipping the marination step
  • Moving pieces too often on the grill

Example meals

  • Tikka
  • Grilled skewers
  • Tandoori-style
Wraps, rolls & fillings Beginner

Chop or mince for kathi rolls, wraps, and frankies.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Chop or mince to desired size
  3. Cook the filling with spices and aromatics
  4. Assemble in wraps, rolls, or frankies

Tips

Mince finely for a more even filling. Add a squeeze of lemon and sliced onion inside the wrap.

Watch out for

  • Overfilling the wrap
  • Using too-wet filling

Example meals

  • Kathi roll
  • Frankie
  • Spring rolls
  • Wraps
Cutlets, kebabs & patties

Mince and bind for shaped snacks that hold together well.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Mince finely (use a grater or processor)
  3. Mix with mashed potato, breadcrumbs, and spices
  4. Shape into cutlets or patties
  5. Shallow fry until golden on each side

Tips

Chill shaped patties for 15 minutes before frying. They hold together much better.

Watch out for

  • Too much moisture in the mix
  • Oil not hot enough when frying

Example meals

  • Cutlets
  • Kebabs
  • Tikkis
Pasta sauces & bakes Beginner

Stir through any pasta sauce — works in both red and white sauces.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions
  3. Prepare your sauce (red, white, or pesto)
  4. Add Chanza to the sauce and heat through
  5. Toss with cooked pasta

Tips

Chop Chanza into smaller pieces for pasta — it distributes more evenly through the dish.

Watch out for

  • Adding Chanza too late (needs time to absorb sauce)

Example meals

  • Arrabbiata
  • Alfredo
  • Pasta bake
Bowls & salads

Toss through grain bowls and salads for a protein boost.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Let cool to room temperature
  3. Toss into a bowl with grains, vegetables, and dressing

Tips

Marinate cooled Chanza in your dressing for 10 minutes before assembling. It soaks up the flavour.

Watch out for

  • Adding to salad while still hot (wilts greens)

Example meals

  • Buddha bowl
  • Quinoa salad
  • Grain bowl
Soups & casseroles

Add to hearty soups and casseroles 10–15 min before serving.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza separately for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Prepare your soup or casserole as usual
  3. Add Chanza near the end of cooking
  4. Simmer 10–15 minutes to meld flavours

Tips

Always boil separately first. Adding dry Chanza directly to soup changes the broth consistency.

Watch out for

  • Adding too early (gets mushy)
  • Skipping the separate boil

Example meals

  • Minestrone
  • Lentil soup
  • Casserole
Tacos & burrito fillings Beginner

Add to seasoning base with standard taco/burrito spices.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Chop into small pieces
  3. Cook with taco spices (cumin, chilli, paprika, garlic)
  4. Assemble tacos or burritos with toppings

Tips

Mash some of the pieces slightly for a varied texture — some chunky, some crumbled.

Watch out for

  • Under-seasoning
  • Not cooking long enough with the spices

Example meals

  • Tacos
  • Burritos
  • Burrito bowls
Burgers

Mince and bind into a patty that holds together on the grill.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Mince finely
  3. Mix with binder (breadcrumbs, flax egg, or mashed beans)
  4. Shape into patties
  5. Grill, pan-fry, or bake until crisp outside

Tips

Don't skip the binder. A tablespoon of ground flax + 3 tbsp water per patty works well.

Watch out for

  • Patties too thick (cook unevenly)
  • Flipping too early

Example meals

  • Burger patties
  • Sliders
Savoury breakfasts Beginner

Toss into scrambles, upma, poha, or any savoury breakfast.

Step by step

  1. Boil Chanza for 25 minutes, drain
  2. Chop into small pieces
  3. Add near the end of your breakfast cooking
  4. Toss to heat through and combine

Tips

Use pre-boiled Chanza from the fridge for instant weekday breakfasts. Just chop and toss in.

Watch out for

  • Adding too early (gets mushy in wet dishes like upma)

Example meals

  • Scramble
  • Upma
  • Poha
  • Breakfast hash

New to Chanza?

Start with These

Eight beginner-friendly ways to cook with Chanza. No special techniques needed.

🍛

Curries & gravies

Great for beginners
🍚

Rice dishes & biryani

Great for beginners
🥢

Stir-fries

Great for beginners
🔥

Tikka, grills & skewers

Great for beginners
🌯

Wraps, rolls & fillings

Great for beginners
🍝

Pasta sauces & bakes

Great for beginners
🌮

Tacos & burrito fillings

Great for beginners
🍳

Savoury breakfasts

Great for beginners

At a glance

Quick Facts

67.5g

Protein per 100g (dry)

12.7g

Fibre per 100g

100%

Vegan, plant-based

12 mo

Shelf life, no refrigeration needed

5

Ingredients: chana, peas, mung, soya, quinoa

Ready to see where Chanza fits in your meals?

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