Sundal Chickpea Salad with Coconut
A warm South Indian-style sundal: chickpeas tossed in a quick tempering of popping mustard seeds, green chili, ginger and curry leaves, then finished with fresh coconut, lemon and cilantro. It's ready in 25 minutes and works as a snack, side or light lunch.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- About 3 cups (4 side servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure and prep every ingredient before you turn on the heat. The tempering takes under 2 minutes and moves fast.
- If using frozen grated coconut, thaw it at room temperature for about 30 minutes and pat it dry.
- Have a lid or splatter screen ready, because mustard seeds pop and jump out of the pan.
- For dried chickpeas, soak 1 cup (200 g) overnight, then boil in salted water for 45–60 minutes until tender and use 3 cups (500 g) cooked.
Prepare the chickpeas
- Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- Shake well, then spread on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.
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Ready when: Chickpeas look matte, with no water pooling on the towel.
Tip: Wet chickpeas will steam and splatter in the hot oil, so dry them well.
Prep the aromatics
- Finely chop the green chilies, grate the ginger, dry the curry leaves, dice the onion if using, and chop the cilantro.
- Set everything in small bowls next to the stove, along with the mustard seeds, urad dal and asafoetida.
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Tip: Water on the curry leaves makes the oil spit, so dry them thoroughly.
Heat the oil
- Set a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil.
- Heat for about 1 minute.
- Drop in 2–3 mustard seeds to test; the oil is ready when they sizzle and pop within a few seconds.
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Ready when: Test seeds sizzle and pop within 2–3 seconds.
Temper the seeds
- Add the 1 tsp mustard seeds and the urad dal, if using.
- Cover with the lid and cook for 30–40 seconds, shaking the pan gently, until the popping slows to just a few pops and the dal turns light golden.
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Ready when: Popping slows to a few pops and the dal is light golden. Seeds should be gray, not black.
Tip: Burnt mustard seeds taste bitter. If the popping stops and they smell acrid, start over.
Bloom the aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida, and the onion if using.
- Stir constantly for 45–60 seconds.
- The curry leaves will crackle and crisp, and the ginger will smell fragrant and the onion will soften slightly.
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Ready when: Curry leaves are crisp and translucent, and the ginger smells fragrant without browning.
Tip: Keep stirring so the ginger and asafoetida don't scorch.
Toss the chickpeas
- Add the chickpeas and the salt.
- Stir to coat every chickpea in the spiced oil, then cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring every minute, until the chickpeas are heated through and slightly dry on the surface.
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Ready when: Chickpeas are hot to the touch, glossy with spices, and the pan looks dry.
Tip: Don't crush the chickpeas; stir gently with a spatula.
Add the coconut
- Turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle in the grated coconut and toss for about 30 seconds, until it is evenly distributed and warmed by the residual heat.
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Ready when: Coconut is evenly mixed through and looks moist and white, not toasted.
Tip: Adding coconut off the heat keeps it fresh and sweet instead of dry.
Finish and rest
- Let the sundal sit uncovered for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and it cools to warm.
- Add the lemon juice and cilantro, toss, then taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Tastes balanced: salty, tangy and mildly hot, with a fresh coconut finish.
Tip: Add lemon juice only after cooling a little, since heat dulls its brightness.
Good to know
Tips
- Rinse canned chickpeas well to remove the canning liquid and excess sodium, then salt to taste at the end.
- Keep the lid at hand during tempering, because popping mustard seeds jump out of the pan.
- For milder heat, remove the chili seeds and membranes, or use one chili.
- Serve warm for the best aroma; the coconut flavor fades when chilled.
Make ahead
"Cook the tempering and chickpeas (through step 6) up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, then add the coconut, lemon juice and cilantro just before serving."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended because the fresh coconut turns watery. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes or microwave for 45–60 seconds, or enjoy it cold."
Substitutions
- fresh or frozen grated coconut, unsweetened → unsweetened desiccated coconut, 3 tbsp, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes and drained. Fresh or frozen coconut is juicier; desiccated is a pantry alternative.
- canned chickpeas → 3 cups (500 g) cooked black chickpeas (kala chana), green moong or white peas. Traditional sundal uses many legumes; cooking times for dried beans vary.
- fresh curry leaves → 1 dried red chili, broken in half, added with the mustard seeds. Adds heat but not the curry leaf aroma. Skip if you used 2 green chilies.
- coconut oil → sesame (gingelly) oil or avocado oil. Sesame oil gives a toasty flavor typical in Tamil kitchens.