Chick peas/kadala curry - South indian style

I love chick peas especially for my chapatis.But some time back my good friend gave me this recipe then I fell in love with it because its a two in one goes well with rice and chapatis or even dosas and the south indian delicacy puttu.

Chick peas are a big favourite in our home and DH used to ask me to make this curry many times but I had that mental block that it wouldn't taste good with rice but i was wrong.But I can tell you that the black chick peas work better in this curry than the white ones.Not to forget that they are healthy and protein packed food.like my LM is studying in school - Pulses are body building foods.

So ever since i made this curry a few months ago, it turns up every week on Tuesdays when we have a complete vegetarian menu.

You need

Chick peas(black tastes better for this curry) 1 cup (soaked over night)
Coconut oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Tamarind a small goose berry size soaked in a half a cup of hot water
Salt to taste


For the gravy 

Oil 1 tsp
Onion 1 large
Tomato 1 medium
Coconut 2 tablespoon
Ginger 1 tsp
Dhaniya powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp

- In a hot pan, add oil and the above ingredients fry well and turn the heat off.Now add the dhaniya powder and chilli powder and let this mixture cool.
- After the mixture cools, add it to a blender and grind first without water and then adding a little water to grind into a smooth paste.
- Pressure cook the soaked chick peas with a little salt and keep aside.
- In a pan, heat coconut oil add the mustard seeds allow to pop and then add curry leaves.
- Add the ground paste and let it come to a boil.Now add the tamarind water and let it boil.
- Add the cooked chick peas and cook until the chick peas absorb the masala well.
- You can add a little water as required to make the curry a little runny.

I serve hot kadala curry with steamed rice, keerai kootu and papads or goes really well with puttu(south indian steamed rice cakes) or dosa and even chapatis.Enjoy a yummy finger licking good lunch :)

Sending this to SIC @ Nivedhanam and Anu's healthy Kitchen, Dish it out - Onions and chillies