Navaratri, means nine nights and is a festival that is celebrated for nine nights as the name implies. It starts on the 16th this month. In South India, this festival is celebrated by setting up steps and placing idols on them (golu). Friends and family, visit each other and sundal is one of the items prepared for offering to God. Most lentils and legumes can be used to prepare sundal and you can find the other varieties that have already been posted here.

Sundal is basically a salad made with lentils or legumes and seasoned with mustard seeds and dals. There are some variations and adding onions is one of them although some people avoid the use of onion on auspicious days. While talking to my friend a week ago we were chatting about the festival and about the types of sundal I had already posted. She suddenly mentioned black-eyed peas and that is when I remembered that I had an unopened bag of black-eyed peas lying around. Made this the next day and even my 4 yr old liked it. Off to the recipe.

My Notes
1. You can also cook the peas in a vessel if you do not have a pressure cooker. Take the peas, salt and water in a vessel and bring to a boil. Simmer until the beans are cooked.

Last Year : Poha Chivda
Pictorial
1. Soak black-eyed peas for around 6 hours. Wash and take in a vessel. I use a pressure cooker to cook the peas.
2. Add salt and cook for 3 whistles. Refer to notes if not using a pressure cooker.
3. Cooked peas.
4. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal, chillies and curry leaves.
5. Saute until the dal turns golden brown.
6. Add onions.
7. Saute until onions are cooked.
8. Add the onion mixture to the cooked black eyed peas.9. Mix to combine.Tasty and healthy sundal ready.
Enjoy!