Braised Brown Chickpeas (Kadle)

KADLE is accompanied by sweet rice. Sometimes, it is just made as a snack but it is often prepared for prayers, which include Purtassi, porridge prayers (Mariammen prayers), fasting prayers, Lakshmi prayers and “dead people’s prayers”. Kadle is best prepared using dried brown chickpeas.

1 cup brown chickpeas

½ tsp salt (can be omitted for prayers)

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

½ tsp mustard seeds

3 dried chillies

1 sprig curry leaves water as needed

Rinse the chickpeas and soak overnight. Boil with salt until soft but not mushy. Takes about 50 minutes to boil. Strain the chickpeas and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot on medium heat.

Add the onion, mustard seeds, dried chillies and the curry leaves.

Mix well and fry until the onions are slightly browned. Add the chickpeas.

Gently mix, combining all the ingredients.

Fry for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.