Author Notes
Stir fried legumes find a spot at opposite ends of the cultural spectrum of South India. On one hand, they are offered in temples as holy 'prasad' to goddesses (there's a reason behind that. Since legumes are protein rich, they were often offered to the Female deities while venerating them in their martial/warrior like avatar ( Kali & Durga) in other words a substitute for meat that was the original prescription in religious texts).
And at the other end of the spectrum, they're the most popular street food. Vendors stroll the beaches carrying large insulated canisters and a tower of paper cones. when an order is placed, the vendors fills up a cone with the snack legume of your choice (chickpeas, whole mung, and split peas are the more popular flavors) drizzles over with lime juice, adds a spoon of finely diced raw mango and hands it over to you. —Panfusine
Ingredients
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2 cups
Shelled fresh green chickpeas
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2 tablespoons
sesame or coconut oil
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1 teaspoon
black mustard seeds
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1
red arbol chile broken in two
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1/4 cup
shredded frozen coconut
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Salt to taste
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Juice of 1/2 a lemon (OR)
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2 tablespoons
finely cut green raw mango
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1/8 teaspoon
turmeric powder
Directions
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Heat the oil in a skillet and add the mustard seeds and the broken arbol chile when the oil begins to shimmer. Once the mustard seeds pop, lower the heat and add the torn curry leaves and allow the aroma to bloom.
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Add the chickpeas and the turmeric to the skillet. Stir to combine, season with salt. lower the heat, cover and allow the chickpeas to soften for about 5-7 minutes. Taste, adjust for seasoning and add the shredded coconut. Stir until the frozen coconut has thawed completely.
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Transfer the chickpeas to a serving dish and drizzle the lime juice over. Serve warm. If you have access to green raw mango, then peel the mango, shred the 'cheeks' using a cheese grater and fold into the chickpeas in lieu of the lime juice.
A biomedical engineer/ neuroscientist by training, currently a mommy blogger on a quest for all things food - Indian Palate, Global perspective!
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