Navarathri Sundal Varieties

Happy Navarathri to you all !!

Here is a list of sundal recipes posted in paajaka.com

(All sundal recipes contain NO onion or garlic)

Channa Sundal

Groundnut Sundal

Black eye bean Sundal

Kondakadala / Kala channa Sundal

Split moong dal / Hesaru bele Sundal

Rajma / Red kidney beans Sundal

Green peas / Pachhai pattani Sundal

Moong beans / Pachhai payiru Sundal

Spicy Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

During the monsoon, you are sure to crave for something hot, something spicy and something that is filling as well. This sandwich recipe is very handy and is sure to please your appetite. Its super simple, super tasty, super colorful and super healthy.

Onions and tomatoes, some bell peppers and a touch of garlic and other spices - coupled with slices of sandwich bread is all you need to make delicious spicy vegetable sandwich. I used a grill sandwich maker to prepare the sandwiches. Its a great comfort food that is super tasty as well as healthy. 

Enjoy the sandwiches with dum chai, and what else you need on a cold winter day. 

There are two ways you can make these sandwiches. I am sharing both 'Method 1' and 'Method 2' recipes here. Method 2 is easier than Method 1.

Method 1:

Ingredients:

Premium white sandwich bread - 4 slices 

(can substitute wheat bread, multi grain bread etc)

Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 tablespoons (optional)

Onion - 2 - big

Red ripe tomatoes - 4

Green bell peppers - 1

(can substitute yellow, orange, red bell peppers of your choice or use a combination)

Jeera (cumin) - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 ( adjust heat as per taste)

Grind the following to a coarse paste:

Garlic - 6 pods

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Red chilli poweder - half teaspoon

Handful of washed mint and coriander leaves (optional)

Tomato - 1

Salt - half teaspoon

Sugar  1 teaspoon

Grind to a coarse paste. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai and add the ground paste and fry for a minute. Turn off heat and allow the content to cool.

Procedure:

Chop the onions, bell peppers and tomatoes.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and green chilli.

Add onions and bell peppers and sprinkle very little salt. Fry for two minutes.

Add tomatoes and turmeric powder. Allow the content to heat.

Add a tablespoon of the ground paste.

Mix well and cook until most of the moisture is absorbed.

Turn off heat and allow it to cool.

Adding chopped coriander leaves to this mixture is optional.

Preparing the sandwiches:

Preheat the grill sandwich.

Drizzle ghee and place two slices of bread.

Spread a tablespoon of prepared vegetable mixture.

Top it with the bread slices and drizzle ghee on top.

Close the lid and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bread is well toasted.

You can use any kind of sandwich maker. Or even a regular non stick tawa. Just flip the sandwich to toast both sides.

Cut the toasted vegetable sandwich diagonally and serve it hot with ketchup/tomato sauce.

The left over ground paste can be preserved in fridge for later use. Can also be added to any vegetable curry.

Method 2 (the easier version)

Ingredients:

Premium white sandwich bread - 4 slices 

(can substitute wheat bread, multi grain bread etc)

Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 tablespoons (optional)

Onion - 2 - big

Red ripe tomatoes - 5

Green bell peppers - 1

(can substitute yellow, orange, red bell peppers of your choice or use a combination)

Jeera (cumin) - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 ( adjust heat as per taste)

Garlic - 5 pods

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Red chilli poweder - half teaspoon

Handful of washed mint and coriander leaves (optional)

Salt - half teaspoon

Sugar  1 teaspoon

Procedure:

Chop onions and bell peppers length wise. Chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic.

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds.

Add onions, bell peppers and green chilli and minced garlic pods and saute until onions are cooked well.

Add tomatoes and allow the content to boil.

Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and cook until most of the moisture is absorbed. Turn off heat.

Mix in the greens if you prefer.

Preparing the sandwiches.

Its the same as Method 1.

Preheat the grill sandwich.

Drizzle ghee and place two slices of bread.

Spread a tablespoon of prepared vegetable mixture.

Top it with the bread slices and drizzle ghee on top.

Close the lid and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bread is well toasted.

You can use any kind of sandwich maker. Or even a regular non stick tawa. Just flip the sandwich to toast both sides.

Cut the toasted vegetable sandwich diagonally and serve it hot with ketchup/tomato sauce.

Moong bean / Pachai payaru Sundal

Mung/Moong bean is called pachai payaru in tamil. This green gram is packed with nutrition. Its a perfect addition to a vegetarian healthy diet. Here's a sundal recipe with this bean. 

Ingredients:

Green gram / Moong / Mung bean - 1 cup

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Green chillies - 1 or 2 depending upon the heat. It can be vertically slit or chopped.

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Ginger - 1 inch - peeled and minced

Asafoetida powder - 2 pinches

Salt as required

Desiccated coconut or Fresh grated coconut - half cup

Coriander leaves - roughly chopped

Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons

Method:

Soak Mung bean over night in water.

Next day, drain the water.

Heat 3 cups water with a tablespoon of salt. When the water comes to a boil, add the soaked beans.

Let the content boil for 5 to 6 minutes.

Turn off heat and drain the water using a colander and allow the mung bean to rest until all the water is drained.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai, preferably non stick. Temper the mustard seeds. 

Add the green chillies, ginger and Curry leaves. stir for a minute.

Add the Mung beans and asafoetida powder. Sprinkle salt as it is already boiled in salted water.

Mix well and garnish with coconut - grated fresh or desiccated and coriander leaves. Turn off heat and stir lemon juice and the Sundal is ready to be served.

Green Peas / Pachai Pattani Sundal

This sundal is made out of the store bought dry green peas. Soaked it over night. Cooked and seasoned the peas to make this sundal. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Dry green peas - 1 cup

Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tablespoon

Green chilli - 1 or 2 vertically slit - adjust as per taste

Salt as required

Water for soaking and cooking the peas

Method:

Soak dry green peas overnight in water.

Next day, drain the water.

Pressure cook the peas with just enough water adding 2 teaspoons salt.

Cook for about a whistle or two. 

After the pressure is released, add 1 cup water and fish out the outer skin of the peas that's floating on the surface. Drain water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds.

Add the green chillie, curry leaves and asafoetida powder.

Add the cooked peas and stir.

Sprinkle just enough salt and add the grated fresh coconut.

Give it a stir and turn off heat.

Green peas sundal / pachai pattani sundal is ready to be served.

Red kidney beans / Rajma Sundal

Being an excellent source of nutrition, Rajma or Red kidney beans, from the legume family is a friend to all health conscious people. There are many types of kidney beans available. In this rajma sundal recipe,  I have used a type of beans that is small and dark red. I have added generous amount of ginger to take care of the gas part ;-) Ginger also adds taste and nutrition to the sundal. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Small red kidney beans / rajma beans - 1 cup

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 or 2 vertically slit ( adjust as per taste)

Fresh grated coconut - 2 to 3 tablespoons

Fresh ginger - 2 inches - peeled and chopped roughly

Asafoetida powder - 2 pinches

Water to soak rajma beans and to cook 

Method:

Soak rajma beans over night in water.

Next day, drain water and pressure cook rajma beans for 4 to 5 whistles with just enough water and a tablespoon of salt.

Drain excess wate and keep the beans aside.

Dry grind coconut and ginger together until its finely minced. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, preferably non stick.

Temper the mustard seeds and add the green chillie and cooked rajma beans.

Simmer heat and add Asafoetida powder and the ground coconut ginger.

Sprinkle salt as the beans are already cooked in salted water.

Stir well and turn off heat.

Healthy rajma beans sundal is ready to serve.

Split moong dal / Hesaru bele Sundal

Split moong/mung dal or Hesaru bele kosambari is a very common item in the kannadiga's kitchen. Its a raw salad that is tempered with green chillie with a touch of lime and of course garnished with coconut and coriander. This sundal, also has the same ingredients for tempering and garnishing except that the dal is boiled before its tempered. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Yellow split moong dal / Hesaru bele - Three fourths cup

Oil for tempering

Green chillies - 1 or 2 as per taste

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Salt as required

Turmeric powder -  a pinch

Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Coriander leaves - handful - roughly chopped

Fresh grated coconut - 1 to 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon - optional

Water for soaking and boiling the dal

Method:

Wash moong dal and soak in water for 1 hour.

Heat 2 cups water and when its starts to boil, add the soaked dal.

In about a couple of minutes, you will notice the water raising with froth.

Turn off heat and drain water using colander and allow the water to be drained completely.

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds. Add green chillie and then the boiled dal.

Add turmeric powder and asafoetida powder and salt and give a quick stir.

Turn off heat and mix in chopped coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut.

Squeeze lime if needed.

Healthy sundal is ready to be served.

Kala channa / Kondakadalai sundal

Kala channa or Kondakadalai as it is called in tamil is a type of legume from the chicpeas family. This protein and fiber rich legume is definitely a choice for people who want to smart snack. Its excellent for controlling blood sugar. Kala channa can be used as a part of a healthy diet and it aids for weight loss and weight management. Here is a simple recipe for a sundal using this excellent legume.

Ingredients:

Kala channa / Kondakadalai - 1 cup

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 sprig optional

Green chillie - 1 vertically slit - adjust as per taste

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Salt as required

Water for soaking and boiling the chana

Method:

Soak Kala channa in water over night. Sprouting this channa is a great idea for added benefits.

Drain water and Pressure cook the channa with just enough water and 2 teaspoons salt for 6 whistles.

Kala channa takes longer time to cook. Hence, boiling method is not preferred.

Drain water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and temper the mustard seeds.

Add green chilli and the curry leaves if using them. 

Add channa and just sprinkle salt as channa is already cooked in salted water.

Add lemon juice and mix well. 

Healthy sundal is ready.

Grated carrot and chopped coriander leaves and finely minced ginger and cucumber can be added to make a tasty salad.

Karamani / Black eye bean Sundal

Today's sundal recipe is Black eye bean sundal. Black eye bean (karamani) is loaded with nutrients. A great after school snack for a protein boost. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Black eye beans - 1 cup

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - half teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Asafoetida powder - 2 pinches

Dry red chillies - 3 to 4 ( adjust as per your taste)

Desiccated coconut - 1 tablespoon

Salt as required

Water for soaking and cooking the beans

Method:

Soak beans in water overnight.

The next day, drain water and pressure cook with just enough water and add salt. Cook for just 2 to 3 whistles. Alternatively, boil the beans in water until its cooked.

Drain water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Temper the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and dry red chillies.

Add the black eye beans. To it add asafoetida.

Sprinkle salt as the beans is already cooked in salted water.

Mix the desiccated coconut or fresh grated coconut and give a quick stir and turn off heat.

Sundal is ready.

Groundnut / Peanut Sundal for Navrathri

It's Navrathri and I am sure almost every household, specially in south India is searching for Sundal Recipes online. Sundal is nothing but seasoned legumes that are specially done as prasad during the Navrathri. 

We have a tradition of keeping Golu or sometimes called Kolu. It's the placing of dolls in steps and worshipping them for nine days. The main deity in the doll step is the Marapaachi bommai. A couple made of wood carving. A fruit especially pomegranate is placed in the front of the bommai and daily pooja is done morning and evening and Sundal is offered as prasad. During these nine days, generally girls/ladies are invited and are showered with  return gifts or goodies that includes sweet, sundal, bangles, bindhi and other items generally used by the ladies/girls. Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi are worshipped during Navrathri.

I have made an attempt to do nine varieties sundal this year for the nine days of this festival. I have already posted channa sundal. Here is the recipe for groundnut or peanut sundal. 

Ingredients:

Raw shelled Groundnut / Peanut - 1 cup heaped

Oil for tempering - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Green chilli - 1 - vertically slit - adjust heat as per taste

Salt as required

Dessicated coconut or fresh grated coconut - 1 tablespoon

Water to boil the groundnut.

Method:

Raw shelled peanuts are used in this recipe. Wash the peanuts and soak for 10 to 15 mintes.

Heat a pot of water and add salt - atleast 3 teapsoons.

When it comes to a boil, add the peanuts and cook.

Alternatively, the peanuts can be pressure cooked in salted water for 5 to 6 whistles.

Drain water and keep the cooked peanuts aside.

Now heat oil in a small kadai. Temper the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and green chilli.

Fry for few seconds and add peanuts. Sprinkle salt as the peanuts are already cooked in salted water.

Garnish with dessicated coconut or fresh grated coconut.

Stir well and its ready to serve.

It makes a very good evening after school snack as peanuts are loaded with nutrition for children.

Note: 

If whole peanuts that are not shelled are used, wash the peanuts and pressure cook them in salted water and then shell them. That way its easy to take the peanuts out. Then, follow the same recipe. When pressure cooking, use a little more salt than specified in the recipe.

Aloo Bonda / Potato Bonda South Indian style

a couple of bondas plus a cup of coffee or tea equal to bliss. A perfect dish on a rainy day! here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

Potatoes (white or red skin) - medium size - 8 to 10


Red onion - medium size -1


Green chillies - 4


Ginger - 1 inch


Little oil for seasoning


Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons


Urud dal - 2 teaspoons


Turmeric powder - half teaspoon


Asafoetida powder - half teaspoon


Coriander leaves - handful - finely chopped


Salt as required

For the batter:

Besan flour - 1 cup


Rice flour - 3/4 cup (three quarters of a cup)


Turmeric powder - a pinch


Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon


Salt - as required


Baking soda - half teaspoon (optional)


( Note: I did not use the baking soda and the bondas were not crispy. The taste was still good.)


Water - just enough to make a thick batter

For deep frying:

Enough oil to deep fry the bondas

Method:

Prepare the filling:

Cook the potatoes. Peel off the skin. Mash well and keep it aside.

Chop the onions and green chilllis very finely. Peel off the skin from the ginger and chop finely.

Heat a tablespoon oil in a kadai. Add the mustard seeds, when it pops, add the urud dal, green, chillis, ginger and onion. Saute until the onions are soft. Now, add the turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, salt, chopped coriander leaves and mashed potaotes and mix well in low heat. DO NOT ADD WATER.

Keep stirring until equal distribution of spices. Keep it aside and allow it to cool. When it's luke warm, make small balls and arrange in a plate. The filling is ready to be dipped in batter and deep fried.

Prepare the batter:

Take a mixing bowl and mix in the besan flour, rice flour, salt, turmeric and red chilli powders and soda if your are adding. Whisk it dry and then add water little by little while stirring continuously. Make sure the batter is thick (thicker than the bajji batter) and there are no lumps. The batter is ready too.

Deepfrying bondas:

Heat oil in a kadai. Test by frying a drop of the prepared batter. The fried batter should come to the surface frizzing.

Hold the mixing bowl near the oil, take a prepared potato ball, dip it in the batter and glide it in the bowl corner to prevent dripping and then slide it gently into the hot oil. You can fry 3 to 4 bondas in each batch.

Make sure the oil in in medium heat. With utmost caution, keep tossing the bondas so that it is fried well on all directions. 

When the bondas turn a little darker than golden brown, take the bondas out carefully and place them in a paper towel lined bowl.

Serve the hot bondas with chutney of your choice. When serving for children keep in mind the filling will be super hot. I did not prepare any chutney and I served it with masala chatpat maggie sauce.

Masal Vadai - Restaurant style

Longing for restaurant style masal vadai? here is the recipe that is sure to please your yearning tastebuds. It is not very hard to prepare these spicy tasty cruncy vadais. I used the Cuisinart 11 cup custom pro food processor to grind the soaked dal. You can use any mixer/grinder to grind the dal. Before I bought this food processor, I ground dal using either ultra grinder or the preethi chef pro plus. I have added one secret ingredient that will sure make these vadais more crunchy. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Toor dal/Tuar dal - one and half cups

Channa dal - half cup

Moong dal (yellow) - half cup

Onion - 1 large - chopped finely

Green chillis - 6 to 7 (increase or decrease the number of chillis are per your taste)

Asafoetida powder - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - chopped - handful

Coriander leaves - chopped - handful (optional)

Ginger - finely chopped - 1 tablespoon

Sonf - fennel seeds - 1 tablespoon

Salt - as per taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Soak toor dal and channa dal together in water for about 3 hours. Drain water and keep it aside.

Squeeze out excess water from the chopped onion and keep it aside.

Grind the curry leaves, green chillis, ginger, sonf, and salt in a food processor.

Drain the water completely from the soaked dal and add it in the food processor.

Pulse for few times, until the dal is well ground. You can use any grinder/mixer to grind the dal. In that case you might have to sprinkle water to grind. Use only very little water.

Transfer the content to a bowl and add the onion, coriander leaves and the moong dal. You don't have to soak the moong dal. Just add all these ingredients and mix well. You should be able to make small balls out of the prepared base.

Heat oil in a kadai. Meanwhile, make small balls and flatten the ball and arrange it in a plate. You can fry 3 to 4 vadas at a time.

Fry in medium heat only. Flip the vadais while frying. Once the vadais are golden brown, drain excess oil and transfer it to a bowl lined with kitchen paper towel.

Repeat until all the dal is fried.

Serve it piping hot or just warm with/without chutney. Enjoy these vadas with a cup of coffee or tea.