Recipe: SUNDAL

It’s Navratri time and the Prasad that is offered is the hot favourite Sundal. It is very simple to make and extremely healthy in giving you the proteins that you are probably missing out on during the year. Nine types of Sundal are made over the nine days. I am bringing to you one particular recipe that may be copied with different grams and pulses.

Sundal can be prepared from:

Whole Bengal gram – Chickpea – வெள்ளை கொத்து கடலை – सफ़ेद चन्ना
Peanuts – கடலை – शेंग्दाना
Broken Bengal gram – கடலை பருப்பு – चन्ना की दाल
Whole Bengal gram (brown) – கொத்து கடலை – Brown चन्ना
Dried Green Peas – காஞ்ச பட்டாணி – सुक्का हरा वाटताना
Dried White Peas – காஞ்ச வெள்ளை பட்டாணி – सुक्का सफ़ेद वाटताना
பயறு – हरा मूंग
Black-eyed Beans – காராமணி – चोव्ली (2-3 types are available – all make good Sundal)

I am bringing you the recipe for Bengal gram Sundal - கொத்து கடலை சுண்டல்.

Ingredients:

Chickpeas – 2 cups (soaked in water for at least four hours)
Coconut – 4 tbsp (fresh grated)
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Red Chillies – 2
Curry Leaves – A few
Asafoetida – A pinch
Oil – 1 tsp
Chilli Powder – A pinch
Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure-cook the soaked chickpeas till they are soft. Take a saucepan and heat a spoon of oil and add the mustard seeds to it. Wait for it to crackle before adding the broken red chillies and curry leaves. Add the asafoetida, chilli powder and then the drained peanuts. Mix well and add salt. Keep the gas flame low throughout this procedure. After a few minutes, add the grated coconut, mix it and switch of the gas. The yummy Sundal may be had hot or cooled.

This is the traditional method of making Sundal. You can make your own twists by adding sautéed onions, freshly chopped tomatoes, boiled potatoes, freshly cut green mangoes, a few drops of lemon juice, etc. One can use any one or different combos.