Here comes another Sundal/stir fried lentil to end the navaratri season. But sundals are not the sole speciality foods of Navaratri alone. They are very simple recipes yet highly potential protein foods providing essential nutrients to the body, both children and elders alike.

As I had mentioned in earlier posts, sundals can be a substitute to fried starters in parties; nutritious snack than junk food during relaxing times. Especially for kids returning from school, sundal can be an excellent source of nutritious energy – now stop them grab their white flour butter cookies out of tiredness and hunger!

Call Sundal, Stir Fried Lentil as well as Salad – is this right?- Omit the seasoning, add carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and don’t hesitate to choose from your favourite salad veggies to the boiled lentil to make it a healthy salad.
Paasi Paurppu Sundal/Stir Fried Dehusked Green Gram Salad

Mung dal is high in fiber, low in saturated fat, low in sodium, and contains no cholesterol. Because of the wide range of nutrients contained in mung dal, these legumes offer a whole host of health benefits for the immune system, the metabolism, the heart and other organs, cell growth, protection against free radicals, and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Here is a list of the nutrients that mung dal provides:

· Protein

· Vitamin C

· Folic acid or folate

· Iron

· Zinc

· Potassium

· Magnesium

· Copper

· Manganese

· Phosphorus

· Thiamine

https://www.doctorblossom.com/index.php/nutrition-a-recipes/155

Ingredients (serves 4)

• paasi paruppu/dehusked green gram – 1 cup
• yennai/oil – 2 tsp
• kadugu/mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• ulundham paruppu/dehusked black gram – 1/2 tsp
• vengayam/onions – 1 no. or chinna vengayam/shallots – 4 no.s
• kariveppilai/curry leaves – a few
• pachai milagai/green chillies – 2 no.suppu/salt – to taste
• perungayam/asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

Method of Preparation

1. Chop onions finely and slit the green chillies; red chillies can also be added or substituted
2. Wash and soak dehusked green gram in enough water for 2 hrs
3. By 2 hrs, the lentil would have become softer and bigger in size – cook the lentil in a pan with the same soaked water
4. Do not cook this lentil in a pressure cooker as it would mash very fast
5. Keep checking for water and be alert not to overcook; If water is evaporated, the lentil might be burnt or if it is overcooked, it might be mashed while seasoning
6. Once the lentil is cooked, switch off stove and keep aside
7. If there is excess water after cooking, drain away
8. Heat oil in a pan, let mustard seeds splutter and add dehusked black gram
9. Add chopped onions, curry leaves and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes
10. Then add cooked lentil and salt and mix well
11. Mix carefully that the lentil remains in perfect shape
12. Sprinkle asafoetida powder and switch off stove
13. Sundal is ready.