(I'm re-posting this recipe as it is a great one plus it's an easy one to prepare)
Now, I’ll have to be honest and say that I don’t really know what the name of this dish is so I just call it “temple chickpeas”. I’ve heard the name “Sundal” being used but am not sure of its origin. You can Google this if you are keen to pursue it. On to the recipe….
This is a simple wonderful dish that I’ve had many times at Hindu temples. It is often served as prasadam (food offered to the Deity in the temple or the blessed remnants of it) after all the ceremonies have been completed. Every time I eat this I can’t help but think of being at a temple. This particular recipe is quite popular in Tamil Nadu cuisine and you will see it a lot in South India, Malaysia and Singapore. It’s light and enjoyable especially when you are having it on a banana leaf seated on a granite floor of an ancient temple….surreal!
Soak a cup of chickpeas overnight. Boil it for about 5-mins the next day to make sure they are “edibly” soft. Add a little oil to your wok. A bit of mustard seeds and wait for them to start popping. Now throw in the chilies, curry leaves and urad dal (split black gram/lenthil).
Fry it till the urad dal turns brown then add the chickpeas, grated coconut and salt to taste. Stir well for a few minutes and you are good to go.
Ingredients
1 cup of chickpeas
3 dried chilies
A few curry leaves
A tablespoon of oil, urad dal
A good pinch of mustard seeds
Half a cup of grated coconut
Vedic Odyssey's spiritual and cooking tour through South India is set for February next year. Join us for 10 days of sumptuous meals for the soul and body.
