Kondakadalai, chana in Hindi, is chickpea, domesticated in south-eastern Turkey about ten thousand years ago. India grows most of the world’s chickpeas. Small, dark desi chickpeas are split into chana dal and ground into besan, while large, cream kabuli chickpeas go into chole. Chickpeas are a winter crop sown on stored soil moisture after the monsoon.
- Botanical name
- Cicer arietinum L.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Tamil
- Kondakadalai
- Hindi
- Chana
- Sanskrit
- Caṇaka
- Parts used
- Seed
- Habit
- Cool-season chickpea with a beaked seed
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Kondakadalai
It is a bushy annual, usually knee-high, covered in sticky glandular hairs.
The leaves are pinnate, with many small, toothed, oval leaflets.
Small purple, pink or white pea-flowers grow singly in the leaf axils.
The pods are short, swollen and hairy, holding one or two seeds.
The seeds are rounded with a pointed beak, brown in desi types and cream in kabuli types.
Traditional use of Kondakadalai
Kitchen
Chole bhature, chana masala and sundal use whole chickpeas.
Indian food practice
Kitchen
Besan, chickpea flour, makes pakoras, kadhi, laddoo and Mysore pak.
Indian food practice
Kitchen
In the Middle East chickpeas are ground into hummus and falafel.
Middle Eastern food practice
Kitchen
Roasted chana, sometimes with jaggery, is sold as a snack across India, and black kala chana is cooked into curries.
Indian food practice
Modern notes on Kondakadalai
The glandular hairs secrete malic and oxalic acids, which make the leaves sour and can irritate farmers’ skin.
Chickpeas are rich in protein, fibre and folate.
Pod borer caterpillars and wilt disease are major problems for Indian chickpea crops.
Kondakadalai safety
Cook dried chickpeas fully. Soaking overnight shortens cooking and reduces gas.
Ecology and sourcing
Its wild ancestor grows in south-eastern Turkey.
It fixes nitrogen and is mostly self-pollinating.
It needs cool, dry weather and suffers in rain at flowering.
Related plants
Also in Fabaceae
Questions about Kondakadalai
What is the difference between desi and kabuli chana?
Desi is small and dark; kabuli is large and cream.
What is besan?
Flour of desi chickpea.
Is chana dal the same as toor dal?
No. Chana dal is split desi chickpea.
Why are chickpea leaves sour?
Their hairs secrete malic and oxalic acids.
When is Kondakadalai grown?
In the cool, dry season.
Is kala chana a chickpea?
Yes, a dark-skinned desi type, not black gram.
Sources
- Cicer arietinum L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q81375 (Cicer arietinum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.