Black Chickpea Sundal

Ever wondered how a simple bowl of chickpeas can feel like a celebration? 

That’s Black Chickpea Sundal (kala chana sundal), a South Indian festival classic that’s smoky, tangy, and textured. It’s especially popular during Navratri as a festive prasadam, but honestly, it’s just as perfect as a healthy snack for any day. 

Protein-packed chickpeas, tempered with spices, and finished with coconut and raw mango make this dish light yet flavorful.

If you’ve never tried sundal before, this is a great place to start—it’s quick, wholesome, and so delicious.

What this is and why it works

Sundal is a temple-food staple: boiled legumes tempered with spices and finished with fresh coconut. Here, robust kala chana (black chickpeas) stand up to strong flavors, tempering, green chiles, and a touch of mango for brightness. 

The result is a balanced bite: earthy chickpea, crisp tempering, sweet-tart mango, and the cooling finish of coconut.

Why you should make this

• Protein + fiber: Kala chana keeps you full and stabilizes blood sugar.
  
• Low fuss, high impact: Cook once, serve many ways, snack, side, or lunchbox protein.
  
• Festival-friendly & everyday-friendly: Fits Navratri prasadam needs but is quick enough for weeknights.
  

Ingredients— what each one does

• Black chickpeas — the star: nutty, firm, great for texture.
  
• Chana dal + urad dal (tempering) — add a crunchy, nutty backbone.
  
• Mustard & cumin seeds — aromatic pop; essential South-Indian flavor anchor.
  
• Asafoetida — tiny bit = big digestive + umami help.
  
• Green chiles & red chiles — fresh heat + dried smoke.
  
• Mango pieces — a bright, sweet-tart contrast (use raw/sour mango for authenticity).
  
• Fresh grated coconut — cools and rounds the flavors at the end.

How the process flows

Start by soaking the kala chana overnight — that’s your time-saver. Cook them in a pressure cooker until tender but not collapsing; you want bite. Meanwhile, pulse off the impatience: prep mango and coconut so everything’s within reach.

Heat a little oil in a wide pan and crackle chana dal, urad dal, mustard and cumin until they begin to brown. Toss in broken red chiles, a pinch of asafoetida and the slit green chiles — the aroma should lift. Add your cooked chickpeas, stir so the tempering clings to each legume, and let them toast briefly on medium heat. Now fold in chopped mango for a pop of tang and finish with freshly grated coconut. Serve warm or at room temperature — both work beautifully.

Pro Tip 💡: If your kala chana tends to stay hard, add a pinch of baking soda while soaking, which speeds softening. Rinse thoroughly before cooking to avoid soapy flavor.

What goes along with Kala Chana Sundal

• Tea-time: A cup of kadak chai makes a surprisingly perfect partner.
  
• Festival thali: Combine with other sundals, curd, and coconut chutney.
  
• Rice combo: Stir into hot rice with a drizzle of ghee (or coconut oil) for a quick meal.
  
• Snack bowl: Add sev, chopped onions, and a squeeze of lime for chaat-style crunch.
  

How to serve

Serve in a shallow bowl with a small mound of grated coconut on top and a wedge of lime on the side. Garnish with a few curry leaves fried in the tempering oil for visual appeal and aroma.

Packing & storage

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container up to 2–3 days. Coconut will dry a bit — refresh with a few drops of oil or a squeeze of lime before serving.
  
• Lunchbox tip: Pack on the side of rice/roti, or put in a leakproof container with a small lime wedge to brighten before eating. Don’t add sev until serving time — it will go soft in transit.
  

Party & bulk prep

• Make-ahead: Cook batches of Black Chickpea Sundal(kala chana) and refrigerate. When guests arrive, reheat the chickpeas, freshly temper the spices, fold everything together and finish with fresh coconut. Takes 10 minutes and tastes fresh.
  
• Scale easily: Keep tempering quantities proportional; the tempering is the flavor engine, so increase it slightly for larger batches

Other Festive Recipes You Might Like:-

• Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak) – Ganesh Chaturthi special.
• Puran Poli – Traditional Maharashtrian sweet for Holi & Gudi Padwa.
• Sheer Khurma – Eid delicacy.
• Royal Falooda – Festive summer dessert drink.
• Rava Kesari – Popular South Indian sweet for poojas.
• Mysore Pak (Soft version) – Deepavali special sweet.
• Dry Fruits Burfi – Rich festive mithai.
• Mango Shrikhand / Amrakhand – Holi & summer festival favorite.
• Makhana Kheer – Navratri & vrat sweet.
• Tender Coconut Payasam – South Indian festive dessert.

Print Recipe

Budget-Friendly

Black Chickpea Sundal

Author: Hema Subramanian Cooking Method: Pressure Cooked, Sauteing Cuisine: Indian Courses: Snack, Snacks Recipe Keys: F Festive Gluten Free H Healthy H high fiber High Protein T Tasty Vegan V vegetarian

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 8 hrs Cook Time 35 mins Total Time 8 hrs 35 mins

Servings: 4 Calories: 175

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year, Winter

Dietary:

D Dairy Free G Gluten Free H Heart-Healthy H High-Fiber H High-Protein I Iron-Rich V Vegan V Vegetarian

Description

Black chickpea sundal is a light, healthy, and protein-rich South Indian snack made with boiled kala chana, tempered with spices, and finished with grated coconut and raw mango. Traditionally prepared during Navratri as prasadam, this sundal is not only festive but also a wholesome everyday snack. The combination of nutty chickpeas, tangy mango, and fresh coconut makes it refreshing, satisfying, and perfect for guilt-free munching.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

To make black chickpea sundal

• 200 g brown chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• water (as needed)
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp urad dal
• ¹⁄₂ tsp cumin seeds
• ¹⁄₂ tsp mustard seeds
• ¹⁄₂ tsp asafoetida powder
• red chillies (broken)
• 2 green chilli (slit)
• ¹⁄₄ cup mango pieces (chopped)
• ¹⁄₄ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• grated coconut (as needed)

Instructions

Prep Work

1. Soak chickpeas

   Soak kala chana in water overnight until plump and soft

2. Chop mango

   Chop the mango into small cubes

3. Slit green chilli

   Slit green chillies lengthwise

4. Break red chillies

   Break dried red chillies into halves

5. Grate coconut

   Grate fresh coconut

Method

1. Pressure cook chickpeas

   Discard soaked water, cook chickpeas with salt and water for 4–5 whistles on medium flame

   

2. Heat oil and temper

   Heat oil in pan, add chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and sauté

3. Add spices

   Add red chillies and asafoetida, sauté until fragrant

4. Add aromatics

   Once mustard splutters, add green chillies and curry leaves, sauté well
   

5. Add cooked chickpeas

   Add cooked chickpeas and sauté

6. Add mango

   Stir in mango pieces for a tangy flavour
   

7. Adjust seasoning

   Check taste and add more salt if needed

8. Finish with coconut

   Mix in grated coconut, turn off flame

9. Ready to serve

   Serve hot or warm
   

Equipment

• bowl

  

  Round Glass/Mixing Bowl big (2100ml) Buy Now
• Pressure Cooker

  

  Aluminium Pressure Cooker, 7.5 Litres Buy Now
• Pan

  

  Non-Stick Omega Deluxe Granite Fry Pan 24 Centimetre Buy Now

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Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 175kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1.5g8%

Sodium 110mg5%

Potassium 310mg9%

Total Carbohydrate 25g9%

Dietary Fiber 9g36%

Sugars 3g

Protein 8g16%

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Vitamin A 60 IU

Vitamin C 8 mg

Calcium 40 mg

Iron 2.5 mg

Folate 110 mcg

Phosphorus 100 mg

Magnesium 50 mg

Zinc 1.2 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Black Chickpea Sundal, kala chana, South Indian snacks, Navratri dish, Sundal recipe

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