Chickpea Sundal: Vrat-Friendly Chickpea Recipe

Quick, easy, lightweight chickpea sundal. Just right for those times when our default chickpea preparation – channa masala – feels too elaborate and time-consuming, or when we need a break from the onion-garlic-ginger-tomato masala ensemble. The ingredient list in this recipe is “vrat-friendly” – that is, suited for festive occasions when onion and garlic are avoided.

Chickpea sundal tastes great warm or cold. It can be had as a standalone salad or as a side dish with a bigger meal.

This recipe follows the classic “sundal” template: boiled legumes with tadka and a finishing touch of fresh grated coconut. You might like to try sundal with lighter legumes too: yellow moong sundal, green gram sundal.

You Need:

[For 2-3 servings]

• Dried chickpeas (kabuli chana) – 1 cup
• Fresh coconut (grated) – 1/2 cup
• Salt – to taste
• Green chilies – 2
• Dry red chili – 1
• Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds – 1/3 teaspoon
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Oil – 2 teaspoons
• Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon, chopped (optional)

How To Make Chickpea Sundal:

1. Soak and boil the chickpeas

Soak the chickpeas in 4 cups of water for 6-7 hours or overnight.

Drain, wash and put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and a quarter teaspoon of salt. Boil till the chickpeas have softened but the skin isn’t falling off. [In an Indian-style pressure cooker, here’s what it would take: boil on high heat till one whistle, then set the heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes.]

Let the pressure of the cooker subside naturally. Open the lid, drain out the water used for boiling. Set aside the boiled chickpeas.

Now’s the time to do the tadka.

2. Do the tadka

In a pan, heat two teaspoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add to it mustard seeds and urad dal.

As soon as the dal turns golden, add slit green chilies, dry red chili, and a pinch of asafoetida powder.

Tip in the boiled chickpeas. Stir. Adjust salt.

Toss and cook for a minute to let the flavors fuse.

Add half a cup of fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves (if using).

Mix well.

Chickpea sundal is ready.

Serve warm, or refrigerate to serve cold later.

Here’s chickpea sundal on the side with rice, drumstick raita, cabbage peanut stir fry, tomato pickle.

Notes: