சுண்டல் (Sundal) Chickpea with Coconut

Serves 4-6

சுண்டல் (sundal) is a famous Tamil beachside snack of chickpeas tossed in coconut, black mustard seeds, curry leaves and lemon juice. I HIGHLY recommend you try this one!

Photo: Supplied

SUNDAL

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained
• ½ handful frozen grated coconut, or desiccated coconut
• 3” piece of ginger
• ½ - 1 chilli
• 1 ½ tablespoons black mustard seeds
• 5-10 curry leaves (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 lemons, juiced
• 1 mango, peeled and diced into small cubes
• ½ red onion, diced 
• Garnish: chopped coriander leaves 

Method

1. In a small blender, add the grated coconut, chilli and ginger. Blitz until a paste forms. Add 1 tablespoon of water if needed (especially if using desiccated coconut, which can be quite dry). Taste and add more chilli if you want it more spicy and blitz again. 
2. In a large bowl, add 1 tin of chickpeas. With a fork or potato masher, smash these chickpeas so that they are roughly broken up (not mashed though!). Then add the other tin of chickpeas, but don’t mash these!
3. In a pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the black mustard seeds and curry leaves. Temper until the spices ‘bloom’ and the mustard seeds start popping, about 1 minute. 
4. Now add the coconut-ginger-chilli paste you made earlier to the pan. Stir and cook for another minute. 
5. Add the chickpeas and salt to the pan now. Stir so that all the chickpeas are coated in the paste and spices. 
6. Transfer chickpeas mixture to the large bowl. Add the diced mango, onion and the juice of a lemon. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed!
7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve!