Vidhya Ramachandran, a Chennai home-maker, is busy prepping for Navratri, when golu (figurines and dolls) are displayed in a step arrangement, depicting scenes from mythology, culture and daily life. She is also planning the daily naivedyam (offering), of which sundal is a staple. It is a dry, tasty preparation of legumes tempered with a few spices and freshly grated coconut.
“Traditionally, a ladleful of sundal is served in a donne (dried palm leaf cups),” informs Chennai chef Shri Bala, owner of the south Indian restaurant Yercaud Kitchen. This year, Navratri begins on October 3 and ends on October 12.
Dry, healthy and easy-to-carry, sundal has always been a popular choice for prasadam in Tamil Nadu. Legumes are the primary ingredient, and the dish is devoid of onion and garlic. Typically, there are nine different sundal recipes for nine days of Navratri. Each day is signified by a different avatar or form of the Hindu goddess Durga. The many tangible ways to tell the days apart are through colour and food. For instance, day one is dedicated to an avatar of goddess Durga named Shailputri, the colour associated with her is yellow, and the sundal is prepared with chickpeas, believed to nourish the body with strength. On day two, another form of Durga, known as Brahmacharini is worshipped, the colour associated with her is green, and the sundal is prepared with green gram believed to be a marker of growth and harmony. “The recipes carry a deep symbolic meaning, reflecting the qualities and blessings of the respective goddess,” explains Rajeswari Vijayanand, a Singapore-based Tamilian, of the popular food blog, Rak’s Kitchen. This spectacular variety showcases the diversity of Tamil cuisine too.
There’s a connection to the weather as well. The month of October is the season of retreating monsoon in India with a dip in temperature. Chef Shri Bala informs this legume-based dish flavoured with spices helps to retain body heat and is packed with protein.
Savoury sundals dominate Navratri, but karamani sundal (black eyed peas) is an exception and contains jaggery syrup. The popular savoury sundals include kondakaddalai (chickpeas), pasi paruppu (moong dal), verkadalai (peanut), navadhanya (nine mixed legumes), kadalai paruppu (chana dal), kollu (horsegram), pattani (white peas) and mochai (field beans or hyachinth beans). Legumes are soaked the previous night, boiled and tempered with a mix of mustard seeds, fresh grated coconut and a sprinkling of the sundal podi (spice powder) made with roasted chana dal, urad dal, red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns. This lends a unique flavour and aroma to the sundal, explains Lalitha Jankiraman, a Forex Advisory and Corporate trainer in Chennai.
In Chennai, this special dish is typically prepared in homes, but some prefer quick takeaways due to time constraints. The multi-chain food brand, House of Payasams located in East Shenoy Nagar in Chennai, accepts orders for Navratri sundal. There are modest eateries and hole-in-the-wall places that prepare it too. These include Nellai Karupatti Coffee in Mandaveli, N Kalyanasundaram’s also known as ‘Sundal Mama’ in West Mambalam, Sundalo Sundal in Madipakkam, Murugan Sundal stall and Thaligai Restaurant on Luz Church Road, both in Mylapore.
For those looking for an easy recipe, here’s one:
Pasi paruppu sundal (moong dal sundal)
Recipe by Rajeswari Vijayanand, Rak’s Kitchen
Serves three
Half cup moong dal/paasi paruppu (split yellow mung bean)
4 tablespoon grated coconut
1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
Salt
To temper
1 teaspoon oil
Half teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon urad dal
2 dry red chilli
1 sprig curry leaves, washed and dried
2 pinches asafoetida
1. Soak moong dal for one hour for softening and quick cooking. Strain and keep aside.
2. Boil three cups of water with sesame oil and add the soaked dal.
3. Boil for five minutes, followed by a few minutes of simmering to prevent overflowing. Season with salt.
4. After it’s cooked, drain the water.
5. In a pan, prepare the tempering. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. The seeds will splutter within seconds.
6. Add the cooked dal and mix well.
7. Mix in the grated coconut and serve.
Mini Ribeiro is a food writer and consultant based in Goa.
