Chana Dal Sundal (Kadalai Paruppu Sundal)
User Reviews
5
Chana Dal Sundal (Kadalai Paruppu Sundal)
Description
This recipe for Chana Dal Sundal involves first soaking chana dal in hot water for an hour to soften it before cooking. The dal is then cooked with water and salt until tender but still holding its shape, either by stovetop simmering or pressure cooking for a quicker method. The tempering process uses neutral oil to fry mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and a pinch of asafoetida, which adds aroma and flavor to the dish.
The cooked dal is then combined with the tempered spices and finished with fresh grated coconut, which enhances texture and provides a subtle sweetness. This preparation creates a dish with a pleasant balance of textures -- soft but intact lentils mixed with crispy fried mustard seeds and mildly spicy curry leaves.
Chana Dal Sundal can be enjoyed as a light snack or part of a South Indian meal. It's often prepared during festivals or as an everyday dish, showcasing simple pantry ingredients transformed through classic tempering techniques. Adding a drizzle of lemon juice when serving can brighten the flavors. The recipe is easily halved and can be adjusted for coconut quantity to taste.
Ingredients
For Soaking Lentils
- 1 cup chana dal (hulled and split bengal gram)
- 1.5 cups water for soaking, hot, boiling
For Cooking Lentils
- 2.5 cups water - for pressure cooking
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Tempering
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil can use peanut oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil, generic cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (hulled and split black gram)
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 1 to 2 dried red chilies broken and seeds removed
- 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
- salt as required
- ¼ cup coconut - fresh grated or add as required
Instructions
Soaking Lentils
- Rinse the chana dal in water for a couple of times. Take the lentils in a bowl and add 1.5 cups hot boiling water.
- Cover bowl with a lid and soak the lentils for an hour.
- After the soaking time is over, drain all the water and set aside.
Cooking Lentils
- Add the soaked chana dal in a pot or pan and add 2.5 cups water.
- Also add ½ teaspoon salt and stir.
- Keep the pan on stovetop.
- Cover pan with lid and on a medium-low to medium heat begin to cook the chana dal. Alternatively, you can cook chana dal in stovetop pressure cooker for 1 whistle.
- When the water starts frothing, remove the lid and cook lentils without lid on medium heat.
- Do check at intervals when the chana dal (kadalai paruppu) lentils are cooking.
- Cook the lentils until they are tender and softened but still retain their shape. Taste a few lentils to check if they have cooked perfectly.
- Drain all the water and keep the cooked lentils aside.
Making chana dal sundal
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in another pan or kadai. Keep heat to a low and add mustard seeds and urad dal.
- On a low heat stirring often fry both mustard seeds and urad dal.
- Fry until the mustard seeds crackle and the urad lentils turn golden.
- Next add the curry leaves, dry red chillies and asafoetida (hing).
- Mix and fry for a few seconds until the red chilies change color. Ensure that the spices and herbs do not burn.
- Now add the cooked chana dal or kadalai paruppu.
- Add salt as per taste.
- Mix very well and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat. If there is any moisture or liquid in the chana dal then cook till the moisture gets dried.
- Lastly add the fresh grated coconut.
- Mix very well and turn off the heat.
- Serve Chana Dal Sundal hot or warm. You can garnish with some fresh coconut or a few coriander leaves if you want.
Notes
- Soak the chana dal in hot water for an hour before cooking to soften the lentils and reduce cooking time.
- Cooking the dal in a pressure cooker for one whistle is a faster alternative to stovetop simmering.
- Adjust the amount of fresh coconut to your preference for texture and flavor.
- A squeeze of lemon juice just before serving adds a refreshing brightness to the sundal.
- This recipe can be halved for smaller servings.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 120kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 298mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 9mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 64IU | 1% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 14mg | |
| Vitamin C | 25mg | 28% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 1µg | |
| Calcium | 49mg | 5% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 148µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 3mg | 1% |
| Phosphorus | 6mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
