Pattani Sundal (Green Peas Sundal)

For the first day of Navarathri, I made pattani (green peas) sundal.   I love sundals.  They are so simple and easy to make and taste great.  For Navarathri, we make a different sundal everyday, for nine days.  Coming up with nine different sundals is always a challenge.  After the first few days, you need to get creative with your choice of grains.  I am thinking of posting my sundal recipe for each day.  Let’s see if I am successful.

Today, my husband has a dinner with colleagues.  It is just my mom, my son, and me for dinner.  My mom said that she will just have dosas with some left over batter and that she doesn’t want anything else.  So I got a pizza for my son.  So the only cooking that happened today at home was the sundal :)

Here is what you need:

•  ½ - ¾ cup dried green peas
• salt to taste
• ¼ tsp. hing (asafetida)
• 2 tsp. oil
• ½ tsp. mustard seeds
• ½ tsp. jeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 red chilies
• a bit more hing
• 3 – 4 curry leaves
• 1 – 2 tsp. masala powder

• 2 tbsp. coriander seeds 
• 2 tbsp. channa dal
• 3 red chilies
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds

 

Here is how I made it:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients for the masala powder.  Let it cool, powder it coarsely and store in an airtight container.
2. Soak the green peas overnight (I soaked it in the morning and made it in the evening).
3. Pressure cook the peas with salt and hing.  ( I cook it for about 6 – 7 minutes on low after the first whistle)
4. Remove the peas and drain the water.
5. Heat oil in a saucepan.  Add mustard seeds, cumin, hing, and red chilies.  When the mustard seeds sputter, add the curry leaves.
6. Add the green peas and mix well. Add the masala powder and toss to coat.
7. Fry this for a couple of more minutes.

Yummy, simple, healthy, sundal is ready!

Note:  You can add coconut or ginger also to this.  I did not.