Ingredients (Serves 4 – 5)
1. Black chana / black chickpea – 1.5 cups, soaked in enough water for 8 hours
2. Coconut oil – 1.5 tbsp
3. Onion – 1.5 cups, chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp, crushed
Garlic – 2 cloves, vhopped (optional)
Green chilly – 1, slit
Curry leaves – A few
4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Garam masala powder / fennel powder – 3/4 tsp
Pepper powder – 1/8 tsp
5. Tomato – 1 medium-large, chopped
6. Medium thick coconut milk – 1/2 – 3/4 cup
7. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 3/4 tsp
Dried red chilly – 1, broken
Pearl onions – 3, sliced
Method
1. Cook black chana adding 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and enough water.
2. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, green chilly and a few curry leaves. Saute until onion turns light brown. Add spice powders numbered 4. Saute until their raw smell completely disappears. Add chopped tomatoes and saute until mushy. Add coconut tidbits / thenga kothu, garam masala powder and mix well. Add cooked chickpeas/ kadala along with the gravy and medium-thick coconut milk. Cook covered for 10 – 15 minutes until gravy thickens. To make it further thick, grind 1/4 cup of the cooked black kadala to a fine paste adding little water/gravy, add to the curry and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off.
3. In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat and splutter mustard seeds. Fry dried red chilly and sliced pearl onions. Saute until brown. Pour this seasoning over the curry. Keep covered for 15 minutes. Serve with appam/ idiyappam etc. It tastes best after a few hours.
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