Why this recipe works
The star is the black chickpea (kadala, kala chana). Smaller and darker than the usual chickpea, it is a low-GI, high-protein, high-fibre pulse, one of the most blood-sugar-friendly things you can eat. It simmers in a gravy of dry-roasted coconut and spices, finished with a curry-leaf tempering.
Ingredients
- Black chickpeas (kadala)1.5 cups
- Coconut, dry-roasted1/2 cup
- Onion, ginger-garlic1 + 1 tbsp
- Coriander, chilli, garam masalato taste
- Curry leaves, mustardtadka
- Coconut oil, saltto taste
Method
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1
Soak the black chickpeas overnight, then cook until tender.
Why soak overnight: black chickpeas are dense and firm, so a long soak and cook makes them tender and easier to digest.
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2
Dry-roast the coconut with spices until dark, then grind to a gravy.
Why roast the coconut: roasting deepens the coconut into the dark, nutty base that defines kadala curry.
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3
Simmer the chickpeas in the roasted-coconut gravy.
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4
Finish with a mustard and curry-leaf tempering.
An honest word
Kadala curry is genuinely excellent for you: the black chickpea is a low-GI, high-protein, high-fibre pulse, and the dish is rich in it. The only lever is the coconut and coconut oil, which add some fat, so keep the oil modest and let the roasted coconut carry the flavour. With puttu or appam, it makes a properly balanced, satisfying meal.