Sundal for a potluck

by ifrdaily

2.5-3 cups uncooked garbanzo beans
OR
8-9 cups of cooked garbanzo beans
3 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp chana dal
2-3 dried red Kashmiri chiles
3 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Pinch asafetida (optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds
8-10 curry leaves
2-3 Thai chiles, red or green, finely sliced
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
1/3 cup freshly grated coconut (or thawed frozen shredded coconut)
2 tsp salt

If your garbanzo beans are uncooked, soak them overnight in three times the amount of water. Once soaked, drain water and rinse. Cook in 2-3 times as much water as beans, preferably in a pressure cooker, until they are soft but still hold their shape. OR, use 5 cans (14oz) of cooked unsalted organic garbanzo beans.

Heat your cast iron griddle and toast coriander seeds, chana dal and dried red chiles on medium heat, retorting frequently, until fragrant. About 3-4 minutes.

Turn off heat; move griddle off the stove and allow the spices to cool.

Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok. When it shimmers, add mustard seeds. When they turn gray and pop, quickly add asafetida, if using, followed by cumin seeds. Turn the heat down or off if the oil is too hot and the seeds start to darken (burn) rapidly. Add curry leaves, followed by red or green chiles. Use a splatter guard to avoid getting oil all over your stove. Add turmeric powder.

Add drained cooked garbanzo beans and mix using a folding action, keeping the beans intact. Keep heat on medium-low until all ingredients have been added.

Grind toasted spices in your spice grinder to a fine powder.

Add this to the beans, followed by salt and mix well. Again, use a folding action to keep the beans intact.

Add lemon juice.

Add chopped cilantro.

Add shredded coconut and mix well. Turn off heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Take to potluck and blow everyone’s socks off!

Notes:
Use fewer dried red chiles in the spice blend and/or Thai chiles to make it less spicy.
This recipe is based on my friend Meena’s sundal recipe. My spice blend was rather reddish probably because of my Kashmiri chiles. You can use any dried chiles, even arbol will do. I did change up her recipe a bit to adapt it to my taste: fresh green chiles to add a bright note to the dish; cilantro, for the same reason; shredded coconut to balance the flavors and add a note of sweetness.
Buy frozen shredded coconut at the Indian store and thaw it on your counter, or in the microwave. Don’t waste your time rehydrating dehydrated shredded coconut. It isn’t the same. You are better off not using it at all.
This tastes fabulous chilled, too.