Navaratri festival is coming up next week and I am sure everyone is getting geared up for celebrations and
Golu. The festival is a nine day festival (Nava – means 9) and each day has its own significance. Some families keep Golu, which is an arrangement of idols, dolls, etc. People who visit to see the Golu are given prasadam (offering given to God that day), kungumam and a small bag of gifts.
Sundal plays an important role in this festival and each day a different sundal is made. We can consider sundal to be a salad made with cooked beans/legumes tempered with mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies. Sundal is normally made with chickpeas (garbanzo), moong dal, channa dal, peas, rajma, green gram dal, groundnuts, etc. I recently came across the 15 bean soup packet in the grocery store and have been experimenting with it. I had posted
15 bean soup already and now it is 15 bean sundal.
With very little planning you have a healthy snack, which is also easy to make. The method to make sundal is pretty much the same for any beans or legumes. You soak the beans, cook it and then do the tempering. Now that means if you know one, you know all
. How many things are easy like this in Indian cooking? Not many I think. Off to making this yummy sundal.
Ingredients
1.5 cups dry beans
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
3 red chillies
1 tbsp coconut (optional)
Notes
1. Thinly chopped mangoes can be added. Mangoes are not normally added when made as offering to God.
Method
Soak the beans overnight or do the quick soak. For quick soak, you add hot water to the beans and let it sit for a couple of hours. The beans is all plumped up and ready to go.
Add salt. Mix to combine.
Pressure cook for 2 whistles (say 10 minutes). We want the beans to hold their shape for the sundal.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add urad dal and red chillies. Fry until the dal turns golden brown.
Add the tadka to the cooked beans. Toss to combine.
Add the coconut if using. I normally omit the coconut.
Easy and healthy sundal ready to be had for a snack.
Enjoy!
I am sending this entry to Kalyani’s Fasting Foods Event and to Krithi and Denny’s Serve it Steamed event.
