Chickpea sundal

I had friends over for my Gauri puja last week. Traditionally, we make patolis, rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric leaves and a simple sabji with some greens that are in season. The food is at its simplest and some women have it without salt on that day. Its supposed to be that a person who can't afford even something as basic as salt, can pray and make an offering without salt to Gauri.

I however wanted to serve my friends something more than just the patolis, so I made a quick sundal and coconut rice.



Sundal is a simple tasty snack, that's high in protein. Its made with chickpeas (kabuli chana), black chana or even peanuts. Soak, cook, season and you're done with it.

This is usually made during Navratri and served to all the people who come home to see the gollu (Navaratri decorations) in most Tamilian homes

Chickpea sundal

What you need -

1 cup kabuli chana (soaked for 6-8 hours)
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 red chilli broken in half
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste


What you do with it -

Drain the soaked chana and rinse it with fresh water
Cook in a pressure cooker. Don't let it over cook, for me two whistles in the pressure cooker works fine
In a pan, heat the oil, add the mustard seeds. allow it to splutter
Add the urad dal and when it turns slightly reddish, add the broken red chilli pieces
Add the salt and the chana and mix well
Take it off the heat and garnish with grated coconut