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.

❤️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.

Check Out Other Sundal Verities

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