Rajma sundal (Kidney Beans Sundal)

This is another sundal that I made during Navarathri last year. Easy to make and very healthy too. Sundal is just any bean/lentil tempered with oil and a few basic ingredients (mustard, black gram etc). It can be eaten on its own or as a side with other snacks.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Time: 8 hrs (prep time), 10 min (making time)

Ingredients:

• Kidney beans - 1 cup ( you can use canned or fresh). If you are using fresh then they need to be soaked overnight
• Water
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal (black gram split)
• few dry red chillies (2-3 nos) or a mix of green and red chillies
• a couple of tbsps of grated coconut
• few curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Method de Preparation:

1. Soak the kidney beans covered in water overnight. Then cook them in the pressure cooker with the water drained, just enough to cover them for the equivalent of 3 whistles. If you cook them a lot they will become mushy which is still ok taste wise (like how mine turned out) but you may not see the individual beans. It is basically a taste preference. Any extra water can be drained and used for other cooking purposes.
2. If you are using canned kidney beans just drain the beans and wash them. They can be used directly.
3. Take oil in a pan, add the mustard. When it splutters, add the urad dal and the red chillies along with the curry leaves. When they are all done, add the rajma and then the coconut and salt to taste.
4. Turn off heat and serve immediately or later :)

* This can be made almost instantly if you are using canned beans however the sodium levels will be much higher, so use fresh when you can.  Similarly you can use fresh or frozen coconut based on availability.

Moong Sundal

If you are looking for a sundal that doubles as a healthy snack, does not require too much preparation, then here is one.

Again you can make this as a sundal, as a side salad or a snack for those hungry tea time bites.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: Preparation time ( 2 hours), Cook Time ( 10 min)

Ingredients:

• a cup or two of moong dal
• salt
• a pinch of turmeric
• water
• little bit of lime juice

To temper:

• oil
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsps urad dal (split black gram dal)
• 3 green chilies slit or chopped in small pieces, or you can use 4 red chilies
• 1 to 2 tbsps grated coconut (fresh is always better)
• 2 to 3 nos curry leaves or a bunch of cilantro chopped finely
• hing ( a pinch of asafoetida)

Method de Preparation:

1. Soak the moong dal in a vessel immersed in water for an hour. Drain it and leave it as such for 1 hr. When you touch it you will find it soft when pressed but not mushy. 
2. In the meantime get all the ingredients for tempering ready - chop the chilies and curry leaves finely.
3. Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard. Allow to splutter and add the urad dal and the hing. Soon after add the curry leaves and the green or red chilies. Mix in the moong dal, allow to blend together. Add salt.  You can add cilantro instead of the curry leaves if you like too.
4. At the end squeeze some lime juice for taste. And it is ready!

Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal

Talking of beach sundals, one other that is extremely famous is the thenga -manga - pattani sundal ( coconut - mango (raw) - peas).  This Navarathri I got to try out different sundals, one on each day of the festival.  Here is the recipe for the same.

Again you can make this as a sundal, as a side salad or a snack for those hungry tea time bites.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: Preparation time ( 11 hours), Cook Time ( 10 min)

Ingredients:

• a cup or two of raw white or green peas
• salt
• a pinch of turmeric
• water
• little bit of lime juice

To temper:

• oil
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsps urad dal (split black gram dal)
• 3 green chilies slit or chopped in small pieces, or you can use 4 red chilies
• 1 to 2 tbsps grated coconut (fresh is always better)
• 2 to 3 nos curry leaves
• hing ( a pinch of asafoetida)
• small pieces of cut raw mango ( a couple of tbsps) - with the skin is great

Method de Preparation:

1. Soak the peas in a vessel immersed in water overnight. Pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric with water just immersing the lentils. Make sure to not overcook or they will end up mushy. They will still taste good but will not be separate, like how mine ended up.
2. When cooked ( should feel soft when pressed and no longer hard), drain excess water and keep aside.
3. In the meantime get all the ingredients for tempering ready - chop the chilies, mango and curry leaves finely.
4. Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard. Allow to splutter and add the urad dal and the hing. Soon after add the curry leaves and the green or red chilies. Mix in the peas, mango and coconut and add salt as needed.
5. At the end squeeze some lime juice for taste. And it is ready!

Peanut Sundal

Usually Garbanzo (Chick pea) sundal is heralded as the king of sundals but of the varieties I made for Navrathri 2011 I liked this one best. It is hardly a wonder because I love peanuts. If you have grown up in India and that too along the coast, you cannot have missed sampling these peanut sundals that vendors hand out on the beach for a few rupees. I somehow think the sand and the salty air add taste to those foods that can never be replicated in our pristine kitchens :)

Make this as a sundal, as a side salad or a snack for those hungry tea time bites.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: Preparation time ( 2 hours), Cook Time ( 10 min)

Ingredients:

• a cup of raw unsalted peanuts with their skin on
• salt
• a pinch of turmeric
• water

To temper:

• oil
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsps urad dal (split black gram dal)
• 3 green chilies slit or chopped in small pieces, or you can use 4 red chilies
• 1 to 2 tbsps grated coconut (fresh is always better)
• 2 to 3 nos curry leaves
• hing ( a pinch of asafoetida)

Method de Preparation:

1. Soak the peanuts in a vessel immersed in water for about a couple of hours. Pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric with water just immersing the nuts.
2. When cooked ( should feel soft when pressed and no longer hard), drain excess water and keep aside.
3. In the meantime get all the ingredients for tempering ready - chop the chilies and curry leaves finely.
4. Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard. Allow to splutter and add the urad dal and the hing. Soon after add the curry leaves and the green or red chilies. Mix in the peanuts and coconut and add salt as needed.
5. Peanut Sundal is ready to be served!

Pineapple Raita (Pineapple Dip)

Call Papa Johns and place an order for a 2 toppping cheese pizza with pineapple and jalapeno and they will know you are Indian, 'cos more often than not, we order this combination the most.

I L.O.V.E Pineapple, very very much. And I love that it is available in very easy to use forms now - canned and ready to go in their own juice. I throw some in on just about everything and sometimes just eat it as is. I have fond memories of mom bringing home a full one from the market and spending good effort in chopping it to more manageable pieces ready to be gobbled by waiting mouths. I am yet to try that myself here :)

This recipe is almost not one, and this dish can be prepared instantaneously. A great side to a meal - goes with rotis and rice and I love it with my staple yogurt rice.

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 5 min 

Ingredients

• 1 can Dole pineapple tidbits in their own juice ( don't get the chunks, they don't absorb the flavor as much) 
• oil ( to season)
• salt ( a little bit)
• a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 2 tsp red chilly powder
• 2 tsp mustard seeds

Method de Preparation

1. Take oil in a small vessel, just enough for tadka or for seasoning, when hot add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add a pinch of hing. Turn off heat.  After 4 min, add the red chilly powder to this.
2. Empty the pineapple tidbits with their juice into a container.  Pour the seasoned mix (oil, red chilly powder etc) on this and add salt ( a little bit).
3. Let sit for about 1/2 hr if possible for the flavor to sink in and enjoy!

This will go with chips and can be used as a substitute for salsa too :)

Source:  From a friend of Prema chithi

Sauteed Onion Tomato Panini (Vengaya Thakkali Panini)

I think there is barely a South Indian who does not know Vengaya Thakkali (Onion Tomato) as this mix is called.  Once made this can be eaten with rotis, mixed with plain rice, or used to make tomato rice, rolled into a burrito, put on a cracker- oh the possibilities are endless, believe me :P

I like bread, and I LOVE Paninis. So I use this to make a nice, quick  protein rich cheesy panini that literally takes about 5 mins :)

Difficulty level : Easy

Time: 10 min (Prep Time) 20 min ( Making Time)

Ingredients

For the vengaya thakkali paste

• 1 large red onion chopped finely
• 2 tomatoes chopped finely
• salt
• a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• a pinch of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp red chilly powder
• oil to saute
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

For the panini

• Vengaya Thakkali paste from above
• 6 slices of bread
• 6 slices of cheese ( swiss or american or cheddar your choice)
• Oil or butter (to spread)

Method de Preparation

1. Take oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add  a pinch of hing. Immediately add the chopped onions. Saute. Add a pinch of salt and continue to saute till they are clear and translucent. 
2. Add the chopped tomatoes at that point, and continue to saute. Cook till it done and the juice has left the fruit. Add more salt, turmeric and chilly powder. Saute all together and turn of heat. Garnish with cilantro. Your onion tomato paste is ready.
3. To assemble the panini, take your panini maker and first set it to start warming.  Then butter both sides of each bread slice. You can use oil too to brush lightly your choice. 
4. Spread the prepared vengaya thakkali (onion tomato) paste on one side and then place the cheese on top, place the other bread on top and you have your panini ready to be grilled!
5.  Prepare the other two paninins the same way - bread, paste, cheese, bread and grill them for the required time in the panini maker (~ 2 min each). 
6. Cut them into two triangles and enjoy as is or with ketchup.

Variations:  If you don't have a panini maker you can just do this on a pan or tava out on the stove for a similar taste. If you are making this for kids, use yellow or white onions which are not as strong as the red ones and reduce the chilly powder if needed. 

The above pictures looks like a 14 layer cake does it not?

Green Capsicum Thogayal (Bell Pepper Chutney)

This can be done with any color bell pepper but don't mix two colors :) You know how sometimes you are left with just a couple of these and not enough for a sabzi and you are left wondering what to do. Well here is what you do :)   The recipe for the thogayal (chutney or paste) is the same as for any kind. 

Difficulty level : Easy 

Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• Green bell pepper ( 2 nos)
• Urad dhal ( 3-4 tbsp)
• red chilly ( 3-4 nos)
• salt to taste
• tamarind paste ( 1- 1 1/2 tsp)
• oil

Method de Preparation

1. Take a little bit of oil in a pan and roast the urad dhal and the red chillies and keep aside.
2. In the same pan, add a bit more oil and saute the bell pepper till well cooked.
3. Once both are cooled, blend the first mix first coarsely and then add on the bell peppers and the tamarind and blend till desired texture is reached. Some people like it a bit crunchy and not too mushy. And green pepper has the tendency to become mushy so be careful.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Enjoy with rice, chappatis , plain or pita bread.