Black chickpeas curry with coconut shavings

 Black chickpeas is called kala channa in hindi. In Kerala, we just call it kadala. It is an energy and protein packed food. Fennel seeds are added in its preparation. In most restaurants here, they serve sugar coated fennel seeds at the end of a meal. The popular misconception is that it is to help avoid bad breath. But in actuality it is a great aid to digesting the food. 

The kadala curry with slightly chunky coconut pieces is a common side dish to puttu, appam and chapati. 

The elements of Mom's fabulous curry..

Black chickpeas - 1 cup

Vegetable oil - 4 tsp

Onion - 1

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam or saunf) - a bit

Coconut, grated - 1/4 cup

Cinnamon - 1 small stick

Clove - 1

Mustard seeds - a pinch

Curry leaf - a sprig

Red chili - 1

Shallots - 1

Coconut pieces - 2 Tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Water

The technique....

Boil the chickpeas in water with a pinch of salt. Once it is cooked through and through, drain excess water.

Warm up a saucepan and drizzle oil. Add in fennel seeds and chopped pieces of onion. Stir for 2 minutes. Spoon in coriander powder, chili powder and grated coconut. Stir for a few minutes. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. Grind to a fine paste.

Heat the saucepan again and sprinkle oil. Throw in cinnamon stick, clove and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to crackle, cast in curry leaf, red chili and cut pieces of shallot. Toss around until the shallot bits start to brown. Add in coconut shavings, salt and ground masala. Cast in the cooked chickpeas and water. Intermingle. Depending on preference of thickness of gravy, cook until water evaporates. Go a bundle on the curry alongside roti.