Recipe for Sundal from Samayal

I got "Samayal - The Pleasures of South Indian Vegetarian Cooking" as a gift a while back from V and since then I have used it just a couple of times falling back more heavily on the trusted "Dakshin" whenever I had the yen to cook South Indian.

An overall review of Samayal will come later, but here is a recipe for "sundal" adapted from the book.

Ingredients:
Kabuli chana (chick peas) 1 1/2 cups
Kala chana (black chick peas) 1/2 cup

Grated fresh coconut - 4 Tbsp
Grated ginger - 1 Tbsp
Green chilies - 4
Dried red chilies - 4
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Perungayam (Asafoetida powder) - 1 pinch
Karuvepilai (Curry leaves) - few
Cooking Oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt to taste
For the powder:
Coriander (Dhania) seeds - 2 Tbsp
Dried Red chilies - 4
Cumin (Jeera) seeds - 1 tsp
Some chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Mix both the chickpeas together, and soak in warm water. Leave it soaked for a whole day. Also if possible, rinse it out and change the water after about half a day. After soaking for a day, pressure cook the chickpeas. They will be soft and ready to snack on right away and far superior to the canned stuff.

2. Make the powder: Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chilies and grind into a fine powder.

3. Heat the oil, and add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the red chilies (broken up), asafoetida powder and karuvepilai leaves. Add the green chilies, grated ginger and stir for a minute.

4. Add the cooked chickpeas, and heat through. Add salt, and grated coconut and stir.

5. Switch off the heat. Add the garnish powder, and stir.

6. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve.

I submitted this recipe to "Vegan Ventures" for the National Vegan Month. Click below logo to enter your own!