Kadalai Curry | Sundal Kuzhambu | Chickpeas Curry

Chickpea curry is delicious and tasty South Indian vegetarian curry. Chickpeas known as channa is highly nutritious and gluten-free food. 

Chickpeas are high fiber, rich in protein and it contains healthy fat which is highly nutritious which helps to support overall health. 

Chickpeas are commonly known as white channa and black channa(kaala channa) in two varieties. Chickpeas is also known as kondakadalai or sundal in Tamil. Kuzhambu means curry in Tamil. 

Chickpeas are one of the special dish made during vinayagar chathurthi and navarathri. 

Chickpeas curry/ sundal kuzhambu can be made using any chickpeas (white or black channa) both are very healthy and tastes good. 

Channa curry tastes different from place to place depends upon the method of cooking the recipe. In my home, I make channa curry in different ways. 

Chickpeas curry is made using onions, tomato, spices, chickpeas, coconut and veggies. Chickpeas curry can be made with coconut or without coconut. This method of curry tastes great and flavorful.

The spices and fresh ingredients like onion, tomatoes are roasted and cooked slowly. The aroma from freshly made masala gives flavor to the curry. 

Ingredients:

Chickpeas(channa)-100g

Big Onion-2

Tomato-1

Ginger-garlic paste-1 tbsp

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Curry leaves-few

Curry masala-2 tbsp

Coriander powder-1 tbsp

Coconut-4 slices 

Potato-2

Fennel seeds-1 tbsp

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Salt-as needed

Oil-3 spoons

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, add white or black (kaala) channa(chickpeas), salt with some water and pressure cook for 3 whistles and allow it to cool.

• Add some oil in a pan and sauté roughly chopped onions and tomato for few minutes until it gets soft. Turn off the flame and add spice powders, fennel seeds, coconut slices and mix with sauted ingredients. Allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste.

• In a pan, add some oil and heat it. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and sauté for few seconds till the raw smell goes off. Add cooked channa along with water, grounded masala and mix well. Add water if required. Add chopped potatoes and mix well.

• Let it cook for 10 minutes till raw smell from masala goes off. Serve this curry with plain rice, chapathi, idly, dosa, Idiyappam, aapam, puttu etc., Same method can be used for black channa curry. Pictures are here how it looks like.,