Sundal - Happy Dasara!

Dear foodies,

A very Happy Dasara to all of you!

I could not go through Dasara and not make sundal, that would be blasphemous! I used to look forward to this festival so I can go around hogging on sundal, not just made my mom but everyone in the neighbor hood :P (now don't you bring this up!) So here goes this year's quota,

Ingredients:

• 1 can - Chickpeas, or dry beans, soaked overnight and pressure cooked until tender but still holding shape.
• 1 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp - Chana dal
• 1 tsp - finely chopped Green chillies
• 1 nos -Red chili
• 5-6 nos - Curry leaves
• a pinch of Asafoetida/hing
  
• 2 Tbsp - grated, fresh Coconut
• 2 tsp - Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a suate pan with oil on medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, when they start splutering add the dal. As they start turning a deep orange add the chopped green chilli, saute for a minute, then the broken red chili and curry leaves with a pinch of asafoetida.
2. Next add the chickpeas, salt and saute for 3-4 mins. Since they are pre-cooked, we only need to get them coated well with the seasonings. Before turning off the heat add the grated coconut and saute for an additional minute, cover and let it rest for a sometime so the flavors blend together.

Thats it, you are all done. You can add chopped green mango to this recipe in the last step like I did here. I seem to have done much better in the cooking department when I was still in school! hmph!!

My mother would make sundal with a different legume/bean every day for Navratri. I've only tried it with chickpeas and lima beans until now. Peanuts, chana dal, moong dal, kala chana, dry green/white peas, blackeyed peas can all be used. I am sure I've left out a few more options but you get the idea right ? :)

Enjoy your day :)