Name: Split chickpea squares with coconut
Yield: Serves 4–5
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 24 fresh green chillies, finely chopped (deseeded if preferred); 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée; 45 ml/3 tbsp sunflower oil or light olive oil; 5 ml/1 tsp sugar; 15 ml/1 tbsp desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut; 2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric; 425 ml/¾ pint/¼ cups full-fat (whole) milk; 30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice; 15 ml/1 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, finely chopped; chutney, to serve; 5 ml/1 tsp salt, or to taste; 350 g/12 oz/2 cups split Bengal gram (channa dhal or skinless split chickpeas); 1.25 ml/¼ tsp asafoetida; 2.5 ml/½ tsp black mustard seeds; 10 ml/2 tsp ginger purée

Preparation info

Serves
4–5

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook

By Mridula Baljekar

Published 2017

About

This simple, delicious and highly nutritious dish, Amiri Khaman, comes from the mainly vegetarian state of Gujarat, which is well known for its aromatic spiced snacks, known as farsan. Every Gujarati housewife has a supply of home-made farsan in the store cupboard, as part of the age-old Indian custom of looking after guests, whether invited or unexpected. These wonderfully flavoursome squares make a fabulous appetizer when served with chutney, and are ideal for afternoon tea.