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    Home » Dals / Beans

    Kala Chana Sundal (Kondakadalai Sundal)

    Published: May 16, 2023 · Last Modified: May 16, 2023 by Kanan Patel / 11 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Kala chana sundal in a bowl with text on the image for pinterest

    This kala chana sundal is a healthy, nutritious south Indian style snack. It is also prepared during festivals and offered to god as prasad (naivedyam). In the Tamil language, chana or chickpeas is called konda kadalai. Hence the name kondakadalai sundal. 

    Close up of kondakadalai sundal served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • ❤️About This Kala Chana Sundal Recipe
    • 🧾 Ingredients For Kondakadalai Sundal
    • 👩‍🍳 How To Make Kala Chana Sundal? (Stepwise)
    • 💭 Expert Tips
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • ⭐ Reviews

    ❤️About This Kala Chana Sundal Recipe

    This kala chana sundal is made as a naivedyam (offering) to god for most of the Tamil festivals like Navratri (golu pooja), Vinayaka Chavithi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Pongal, etc. 

    In some temples, this is also distributed to devotees as prasadam.

    In many places like beaches, streets in South India, this is sold as a snack.

    This kondakadalai sundal makes a very healthy, filling and protein-packed afternoon snack. Kids might love it as an after school snack.

    Adults would enjoy this sundal with a cup of tea or coffee.

    🧾 Ingredients For Kondakadalai Sundal

    Here is the pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this sundal. You’ll need only 10 ingredients. All of them are very basic and easy to available.

    Here in the USA, fresh coconut is not easily available. So I always have frozen grated coconut in my freezer. So I have used that. 

    Recently, I have started using lime instead of lemon in my Indian cooking. And I like it better.

    Ingredients used in kala chana sundal includes black chickpeas, coconut, oil, salt, curry leaves, chilies and spices.

    👩‍🍳 How To Make Kala Chana Sundal? (Stepwise)

    Soaking & Boiling:

    1) Take dry black chickpeas in the colander and wash under running cold water until water runs clear. Or you can rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore. Then add enough water (2-inches above) and soak.

    2) Let it soak at least 8 hours or overnight. They get bigger in size. Discard the soaking water.

    3) Take chana to the pressure cooker along with fresh water and boil until soft. If you press it between thumb and finger, it should mash easily. Drain the cooking water.
    Stovetop pressure cooker: 2 whistles on High + 30 mins on med-low.
    Instant pot: Manual (high pressure) 30 mins.

    Collage of 3 steps showing kala chana in water, soaked overnight, boiled chana.

    Making Kondakadalai Sundal:

    1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add urad dal and saute until light brown.

    2) Then add chopped green chilies, dried red chili and curry leaves. Saute for 30-40 seconds.

    3) Now add boiled, drained chana and salt. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

    4) Now add grated coconut.

    5) Mix and cook for a minute.

    6) Lastly, add lemon or lime juice, mix and turn off the stove.

    Collage of 6 steps showing tempering with mustard, add chilies, curry leaves, add boiled chana, coconut, mix, squeeze lemon.

    💭 Expert Tips

    • The cooking liquid (the water drained from boiled black chana) is very nutritious. Do not throw away. Use that in making dal, sambar, rasam. Or use in kneading the roti, paratha dough.
    • For a variation, to make this sundal spicy, add a little red chili powder, coriander powder and very little crushed black pepper. It tastes too good. But traditionally the spices are not added.
    • Instead of adding a few different spice powders, just add sambar podi or rasam powder. That tastes fantastic.
    Kala chana sundal served in a bowl.

    Check Out Other Sundal Verities

    • Rajma sundal
    • Chickpea sundal

    PS Tried this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback! Plus, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest updates.

    📋 Recipe Card

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    Close up of kondakadalai sundal served in a bowl.
    Print Pin Save Saved!

    Kala Chana Sundal (Kondakadalai Sundal)

    5 from 1 vote
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    This kala chana sundal is a healthy, nutritious south Indian style snack. It is also prepared during festivals and offered to god as prasad (naivedyam).
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Calories: 278kcal
    Servings 2
    Prep Time 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time 8 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • ½ cup Dry Kala chana (black chickpeas or desi chana)
    • 1 ½ cups Water for pressure cooking
    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Urad dal (split, skinless black gram)
    • 1 Green chili chopped finely
    • 1 Dried red chilies
    • 8-10 Curry leaves
    • Salt to taste
    • 2-3 tablespoons Coconut (Fresh or frozen), Grated
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
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    Instructions 

    • Take dry black chickpeas in the colander and wash under running cold water until water runs clear. Or you can rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore. Then add enough water (2-inches above) and soak.
    • Let it soak at least 8 hours or overnight. They get bigger in size. Discard the soaking water.
    • Take chana to the pressure cooker along with fresh water and boil until soft. If you press it between thumb and finger, it should mash easily. Drain the cooking water.
      Stovetop pressure cooker: 2 whistles on High + 30 mins on med-low.
      Instant pot: Manual (high pressure) 30 mins.
    • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
    • Then add urad dal and saute until light brown.
    • Then add chopped green chilies, dried red chili and curry leaves. Saute for 30-40 seconds.
    • Now add boiled, drained chana and salt. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
    • Now add grated coconut, mix and cook for a minute.
    • Lastly, add lemon or lime juice, mix and turn off the stove.

    Notes

    • The cooking liquid (the water drained from boiled black chana) is very nutritious. Do not throw away. Use that in making dal, sambar, rasam. Or use in kneading the roti, paratha dough.
    • For a variation, to make kala chana sundal spicy, add a little red chili powder, coriander powder and very little crushed black pepper. It tastes too good. But traditionally the spices are not added.
    • Instead of adding a few different spice powders, just add sambar powder or rasam powder. That tastes fantastic.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.6g | Protein: 10.4g | Fat: 12.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 611mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 9.8g | Sugar: 6g
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

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    1. Sridhar Jayaraman

      September 21, 2022 at 12:27 am

      I am a novice who knows nothing beyond making tea using tea bags. I was looking for more specific details like how much water in the pressure cooker, quantity of oil, etc. Without that info, I am totally lost. Not your fault at all. Sridhar Jayaraman, India.

      Reply
      • Kanan Patel

        September 21, 2022 at 8:36 am

        All the ingredient quantity and details are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

        Reply
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    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

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