Sundalo "O" Sundal

Kadalakkai sundal(peanut)
Ingredients

• Groundnut / Peanut - 1 cup
• Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Dry Red Chilly - 2
• Curry Leaves - some
• Asafetida - a pinch
• Oil - 1 tsp

Procedure
Clean and wash the nuts and pressure cook in water. Strain excess water and set aside. Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds, urad dhal and asafetida. Add the curry leaves and coconut and stir for a minute. Mix in the cooked peanuts / groundnuts and salt and stir well for a few minutes. Serve hot.
Also try: If interested, you may substitute the dry red chilly with 2 green chilies and a fresh piece of ginger root. Cut these into small pieces and add along with the curry leaves.

Konda kadalai Sundal (Chickpea)

Ingredients

• Chick Peas - 1 1/2 cups Grated
• Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp Dry Red Chilly - 2
• Curry Leaves - some Asafetida - a pinch
• Oil - 1 tsp

Procedure
Soak the chick peas over night to prepare sundal the next day. Wash and clean the soaked chick peas and cook in water or pressure cook. Strain the water. Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds, urad dhal, asafetida, chilly and curry leaves in a pan. Add the coconut and salt and remove from heater. Stir to mix well. Now add the cooked peas and reheat. Stir for a few minutes until the salt and coconut are evenly distributed.


Pattani Sundal (Green Peas)
Ingredients

• Green Peas - 1 1/2 cups Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp Dry Red Chilly - 2
• Curry Leaves - some Oil - 1 tsp
• Lemon - 1/2
• (Optional) Mango - a small piece

Procedure
If using dry green peas, soak them over night to prepare sundal the next day. Wash and clean the soaked peas and cook in water or pressure cook. A strain the water and let it stand for a few minutes. If using fresh green peas, clean and cook them in some water. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Strain the excess water completely and set aside. Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds, urad dhal, chilly and curry leaves. Add the coconut and salt and remove from heat. Mix well. Now add the cooked peas and reheat. Stir for a few minutes until the salt and coconut are evenly distributed. Switch off the fire and let it cool for a while. Then add the shredded mango and lemon juice. Mix well and serve hot. Do not reheat after adding the lemon, as the sundal may become slightly bitter.


Cherupayar Sundal (Green Gram Dal)

Ingredients

• Green Gram - 1 cup
• Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Dry Red Chilly - 2
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Asafetida - a pinch

Procedure
Soak the green gram in warm water for over 1 hour. Clean and wash the gram and pressure cook in water. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Decant excess water and set aside. Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds, urad dhal and asafetida. Add the coconut and stir for a minute. Mix in the cooked gram and salt and stir well for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Kadalai Parippu Sundal (Channa Dal)
Ingredients

• Channa Dhal - 1 cup
• Salt - 3/4 tsp Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Dry Red Chilly - 2

Procedure
Clean the channa dhal and cook in water. Try not to over cook. Decant the excess water completely and set aside for a couple of minutes. Heat up the oil and fry the mustard seeds, urad dhal and chilly. Add the cooked dhal and salt and stir for a few minutes. If interested, you may add coconut like in the other types.

Also try: Instead of using dry red chilly, you may use green chilly. You may also garnish with curry leaves as in the other types.

Navarathri 2012 -Bommai Golu starts on Oct15th and ends on Oct25th

The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava means nine and ratri means nights. During this time, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshipped.

Navratri represents the celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of the deity in the form of Shakti [Energy or Power]. Dasahara, meaning 'ten days', becomes Dussehra, as it is popularly known. It is celebrated as a doll festival exclusively for and by women.

Our First Golu - 2009

Golu:
During the festival of Navratri in South India, it is customary to display a "Golu", an exhibition of various dolls and figurines in odd (usually 7, 9, or 11) numbered tiers , also known as "Padis". These dolls and figurines comprise of Gods, Goddesses, demigods and more. The Golu's vary in theme from house to house - from the elaborate, extravagant ones to the simple, traditional and artistic ones.

The Navratri Golu commences with the keeping of a Kalasam, a holy brass or silver pot filled with water and topped with  a coconut  on mango leaves. This Kalasam is kept on the first level. In the evenings, a "Kuthuvilakku" is lit, which is a small lamp, in the middle of a decorated "kolam"(Rangoli), before the Golu and devotional hymns and shlokas are chanted. After performing the puja, the food items that have been prepared, are offered to the goddesses.

In the evening of "Vijayadasami", any one doll from the "Golu" is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasam is moved a bit towards North to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Golu. Prayers are offered to thank God for the successful completion of that year's Golu and with a hope of a successful one the next year! Then the Golu is dismantled and packed up for the next year.

How to make Chathurthi Kozhakkattai (typical tamil brahmana style)

Ingredients
1 cup grated coconut
3/4 cup jaggery
1.5 cup water
1 cup rice powder
Salt
Oil

Method
Heat pan and add grated coconut and jaggery
After around 5-7 minutes the jaggery would dessolve into the cocunut and form our filling for the kozhakkattai.
Heat water in the pot
Once water is almost boiling add little oil and salt to it
After water boils completely add rice powder and mix well
Take out the mixture from the stove and mix it well to form uniform dough
Make small balls of this dough and flatten them
Add the mixture and pack the ball giving it little plates at top to form kozhakkattai shape
To cook kozhakkattai keep a vessel with water on the stove, on top of it put the vessel which has holes grease it and put the kozhakkattais on it
Cook the kozhakkattai by covering them with small cloth or a plate for about 7-10 minutes