Sundal (Pressure Cooker) Recipe

Ingredients

• coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
• 1 tsp urad dal (safed urad dal)
• 1 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli, broken into pieces
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 6 to 8 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/4 tsp haldi powder (turmeric powder)
• 1 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds powder
• 1 cup kala chana (brown chick peas), soaked overnight and drained
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated coconut

Steps

1. Natural release method: to use this method, remove the pressure cooker from the hot burner and let the pressure drop by cooling down naturally. It works best for grains and for beans that you might use for salads, as quick-releasing the pressure can cause the beans to split apart.
2. This dish can be made with almost all legumes, but tastes especially good with white or brown chick peas.
3. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds.
4. When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame till the dal turns light brown in colour.
5. Add the turmeric powder, coriander seeds powder, kala chana, ¾ cup of hot water and salt, mix well and pressure cook on a high flame for 3 whistles.
6. Lower the flame and pressure cook for another 3 whistles.
7. Allow the steam to escape using natural release method, (refer handy tip) before opening the lid.
8. Cook on a high flame for another 2 minutes or till all the water evaporates.
9. Remove from the flame, add the coconut and mix well. Serve immediately.