#19 : Senagalu ~ The healthy Chickpea salad

Last week , I spent a good amount of time trying to plan healthy meals . We mostly ate soups and drank juices . Oh , there was this super easy spinach stir fry that turned up on the table very often . Life felt good , body and mind both energized and happy . Isn't that feeling really important ?  This snack of tempered chickpeas is usually made on festive occasions as prasadam ( offering to god ). It tastes great as a salad , snack or a side. Just squeeze a little lemon before eating and I promise you will enjoy it . Making this a few wonderful memories gushed in -  a little me running around in silk clothes with jasmine flowers in the hair , munching handfuls of this healthy snack :) Love !

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Black Senagalu / Chickpeas 
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp Salt

      For Tempering :

• 1/2 tsp Oil 
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Urad dhal 
• 3 Green Chillies + 1 inch small Ginger coarsely pounded
• 2 Dried Red Chillies
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida
• 3-4 Curry leaves

Garnish with Cilantro and serve with a squeeze of lemon 

Method:

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas in water over-night
2. To the soaked chickpeas add salt , water and pressure cook for 2 whistles . Remove from heat
3. Once the steam escapes the the cooker , remove the lid and drain the chickpeas out and set aside
4. Heat oil , add mustard seeds . Once they begin to splutter add urad dhal , cumin seeds , pounded green chilli-ginger mixture , red chilies , asafoetida , curry leaves and fry for a few minutes . Add the drained chickpeas and stir fry for another 5 mins. Adjust salt if needed 
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a squeeze of lemon