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Beans, lentils & pulses · Pulses and dals

Roasted gram (pottukadalai)

Split, skinned and dry-roasted chickpeas: crunchy, ready to eat, and the thickener in South Indian chutneys and podis.

Also called: pottukadalai, putani, putnala pappu, hurigadale, fried gram, roasted chana dal, roasted gram dal, dalia (roasted chana), daria, bhuna chana dal

Around the world: பொட்டுக்கடலை (ta) · పుట్నాల పప్పు (te) · ಹುರಿಗಡಲೆ (kn) · भुना चना दाल (hi)

4 recipes with it

What it is

Small desi chickpeas that have been roasted, split and skinned, sold as pottukadalai in Tamil Nadu, putani in Karnataka, putnala pappu in Andhra and dalia or bhuna chana in the north. They are pale yellow, light and crunchy, and unlike raw chana dal they need no cooking. Ground, they thicken coconut chutneys and stop them separating.

Cicer arietinum (desi type, roasted and split)

How it’s used

  • Ground into coconut chutneys to thicken them
  • The base of coconut-free pottukadalai chutney
  • Added to paruppu podi and other dry podis
  • Ground into murukku and laddu doughs
  • Eaten as a snack with jaggery or in chivda

Characteristics

Taste
Nutty and mildly sweet, with a toasted flavour.
Texture
Dry and crunchy; grinds to a soft, flour-like powder that absorbs water readily.
Appearance
Pale yellow, rounded split halves, slightly wrinkled, without skins.
When cooked
Soaks up a lot of liquid: chutneys made with it thicken for 15–20 minutes after grinding.
Sold as
whole, powder
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Used for thickening, Used for binding

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keep in an airtight jar in a cool, dry cupboard for 3–4 months; once it smells stale or goes soft, it has absorbed moisture and should be refreshed in a dry pan or discarded.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Pick out any small stones before grinding.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
378 kcal
Protein
20.47 g
Carbohydrate
62.95 g
Fat
6.04 g
Fibre
12.2 g
Sugars
10.7 g

USDA FoodData Central: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Chana dal (split bengal gram) — Dry-roast raw chana dal over low heat until golden and crisp (6–8 minutes); it stays harder and grittier.
  • Peanuts — Roasted, skinned peanuts thicken chutneys too but taste stronger and richer.

Related ingredients

Recipes with roasted gram (pottukadalai)