Midday · No onion or garlic
Warm Coconut Chickpea Salad
South Indian-style chickpea salad tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and ginger, tossed with fresh coconut, raw mango or lemon, and cilantro.
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 10 min
- Total 20 min
- Makes 4 servings
Photo: Chana usuli or kadale kaalu usuli by Mallikarjunasj, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Chickpea salad is a simple preparation of boiled legumes tossed in a hot tempering and finished with fresh coconut. In Tamil Nadu it is traditionally made during festivals and offered as prasad, but it is just as good as an everyday snack or a light lunch with a bowl of soup.
We use chickpeas here because they are easy to find cooked, but you can make chickpea salad with black-eyed peas, green mung or peanuts. A little grated green mango, when in season, adds a lovely tartness; otherwise a squeeze of lemon does the job.
Chickpea salad is often made in large batches during Navratri, when a different legume is cooked each evening and shared with neighbors and visitors. That spirit of making a little extra and passing it around suits this dish well. It travels easily in a lidded container, tastes good at room temperature, and needs nothing more than a spoon. If you are cooking for a group, double the recipe and set out extra lemon wedges and a bowl of grated coconut so everyone can finish their own portion.
The recipe
Ingredients
Chickpea salad
Method
- If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them well, then spread them on a towel for a few minutes so the tempering clings rather than splatters.
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.
- Add the split black lentils (urad dal) and stir until it turns golden, about 30 seconds. Add the red chile, curry leaves, ginger and asafoetida and stir for 15 seconds.
- Add the chickpeas and salt and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, until heated through and coated in the tempering.
- Turn off the heat. Add the coconut and toss well so it warms slightly in the residual heat.
- Fold in the green mango or lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust the salt and sourness. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kitchen notes
- If cooking dried chickpeas, soak 1 cup overnight and simmer in fresh water for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
- Frozen grated coconut, thawed, works well and is often easier to find than fresh.
- Add a handful of chopped cucumber just before serving for crunch.
Storing and reheating
Keeps for 2 days in the fridge. The coconut is best fresh, so if making ahead, add it just before serving.
To serve alongside
Pairs well with the Zucchini Mung Bean Soup for a light lunch.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
