• Soak the dried black chickpeas in plenty of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the water to use. For quicker option, you can soak in hot water for 3 to 4 hours.
  1 cup dried chickpeas

Pressure cook chickpeas

• Pressure cook or boil the soaked black chickpeas with salt until soft. It can take 4 to 5 whistles on medium heat or 35 mins in Instant Pot. Let the pressure cool on its own. Check the doneness and pressure cook more if required. The chickpeas should hold the shape and yet be melted in the mouth soft.
  2 cups water, salt to taste

Roast coconut

• Meanwhile, roast the coconut along with the red chillies until the coconut becomes light brown colour and fragrant. Do it carefully by taking the pan away from the fire when it gets too hot and stirring continuously to roast evenly to a golden brown colour.
  ½ cup grated coconut, 2 to 3 dried red chillies
• Transfer the roasted mixture to a mini processor or chutney maker along with a tablespoon of boiled chickpeas. Grind it to a thick paste with some water.
  2 tablespoons boiled chickpeas, ¼ cup water

Prepare the kadala curry

• Heat some more coconut oil in a deep pot and add onions and saute until translucent.
  1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 medium onion
• Add the grated ginger (or ginger-garlic paste) and a few green chillies and sauté for a minute.
  1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Next, add the chopped ripe tomatoes with a dash of salt.
  2 medium-sized tomatoes
• Add all the spice powders and fry for a couple of minutes until the raw smell is gone. You may add a few tablespoons of water to prevent them from getting burnt.
  1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons coriander powder, ½ teaspoon Malabar garam masala, salt to taste
• Reduce the flame to low and cover the pot to cook down the tomatoes until no trace of chunks.
• Dump all of the cooked black chickpeas along with the water and bring this to a full boil.
• Add the prepared coconut paste, wash down the jar with some water and add that too and bring to a boil on low to medium flame and let it simmer while you prepare the tadka.
  ½ cup water

tadka

• Heat coconut oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add the cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Now add the curry leaves and a few mini shallots, if using. Pour the tadka immediately over the kadala curry, stir to mix and switch off. Keep covered until serving time.
  1 tablespoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 3 to 4 mini shallots, 3 green chillies
• Serve hot with warm puttu (steamed rice cake) or boiled rice or chapatis.