Navratri Sundal Podi or Sundal Masala - Adds Spicy, nutty and aromatic taste to steamed sprouts, cooked lentils and legumes. A must have spice blend during Navaratri Golu season.
Sundal podi is a traditional South Indian condiment, masala or spice made with a mix of lentils and red chilies. It adds flavor, spice and taste to Navaratri Sundal varieties.
Sundal is a traditional South Indian snack recipe with cooked beans, legumes, sprouts and lentils. Stir-fried with mustard seeds and fresh coconut, it is healthy and filling.
Sundal is served as prasadam during festivals, especially Navaratri. The spice mix just adds a lot of flavor and taste to cooked legumes.
Before the festival begins, we grind a batch of sundal podi. It is quite helpful when sudden guests arrive. The shelf life of the podi is over a month.
In South India, Navaratri is celebrated by keeping Golu at home. Golu is a display of dolls that depict mythology and stories. It is super exciting to decorate the Golu and add themes which make it interesting.
For 9 days of Navaratri, 1 sundal variety is cooked and offered as neivedyam or prasadam. Stocking sundal podi makes it quick and easy instead of grating fresh coconut.
How to make Navaratri Sundal Podi
Dry roast chana dal until golden brown (pic 1-2). Remove onto a plate or bowl and cool.
Place the pan back on the heat and dry roast coriander seeds. Keep aside to cool.
In the same pan, add few drops of oil.
Roast whole dry red chilies until they are crisp. Keep aside to cool.
Roast sesame seeds until they pop. Remove onto a plate or bowl and allow to cool.
Once lentils and red chilies have cooled, transfer to a mixer grinder jar. Add salt and hing (Asafoetida).
Grind to a coarse powder. Cool and transfer to an airtight container.
How to use Sundal Podi
Add sundal podi or masala to boiled or cooked pulses, steamed sprouts or corn. You may use a combination of sundal podi + coconut.
Besides making sundal, sundal podi or masala can be used to spice up veggies like raw banana (vazhakkai), chembu (arbi), senaikizhangu (yam) and potato.
Like all masala or spice blends, fresh is always good. Grind in small batches. If you are not planning to use immediately, refrigerate the podi for long shelf life.
Storage / Shelf life
Grind, cool and store sundal podi in a clean, dry glass jar.
Sundal podi stays fresh for a month.
Sundal recipes to try
Kondakadalai Sundal (Chickpeas)
Karamani Sundal (Cow Peas / Black Eyed Peas)
Rajma Sundal (Kidney Beans)
This post was released in October 2018 for Navaratri Festival. I have updated the post with fresh content, process shots and recipe card.
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Sundal Podi Recipe | Navaratri Sundal Masala
Equipment
- Mixer Grinder
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon Chana Dal (Kadala Paruppu or Bengal Gram Dal)
- 2 tablespoon Dhania (Coriander Seeds or Kothamalli Varai)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds (Ellu or Til)
- 14 Whole dry red chillies Check Notes below
- ¼ teaspoon Hing or Asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon Sesame Oil for roasting Check Notes below
- Salt to taste Check Notes below
Instructions
- Heat a pan and dry roast chana dal until golden brown and fragrant. Remove off heat and set aside for cooling.
- Place the pan back on heat and add coriander seeds and saute for 1-2 mins. Set it aside to cool with chana dal.
- Next add sesame seeds to the hot pan. Once it pops, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In the pan, add oil and roast the chilies until they crisp up. Set this aside to cool. Switch off the heat and allow all the ingredients to cool.
- Add the roasted ingredients (lentils and red chilies) to a mixer grinder jar together with hing or asafoetida and salt to taste.
- Grind the sundal podi. Cool and transfer to an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Red Chillies - Use a combination of Kashmiri Red chillies and Madras Red Chillies or Pondi Chillies for the spice. Adjust quantity as per spice tolerance.
- You can use black sesame seeds too.. The colour of the podi would be dark.
- Oil is only required to toast the chillies. Sesame oil lends a good aroma. You can use any veg oil too.
- I add salt to the Sundal Podi. You can skip it, if you like.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
We often make sundal, but I have never tried making it with podi. Awesome share, Vidya! 🙂
Thanks so much, I make both versions of sundal and distribute in tamboolam every year. This year finally the recipe made it to the blog.
Awesome share, Dear!
thanks Jyoti so much
Oh this is lovely Vidya
Thanks Nisha.
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Read about your previous Golu and its so interesting to learn about different cultures and traditions. I remember a Tamilian neighbor of mine in Bangalore, putting up these miniature dolls and figurines for the Navratri festival. Looking forward to your this year's theme. Podi mixture sounds delicious. would love to try it out for a sundal dish.
Thanks so much and shall share the Golu pictures soon.
I have made one flavourful podi masala. Now one more to try. Thanks for the recipe and lovely informative write up. Perfect share for super busy ladies in this festive season. Awesome share.
Thanks, that was the idea Sujataji, trying to make lives easier by these podi recipes. Navratri is a busy festival for ladies.
This cannot get better dear! Absolute must for all kind of Sundal! Its a very valuable post!
Thank you Amrita.
Sundal podi is the saviour during navrathri busy times. I have a slightly different recipe, this time i will try yours too. I like the colour of your podi.
Thank you Seema. Let me take a look at your version too. Each home has a different version and tastes unique too.
Easy and tasty one, Vidya
Happy Navratri ? ,I am too excited and love to do garba.
Wish you the same Rita and thank you. I wish I knew how to do the Garba.. Enjoy and have fun!
Thank you Vidya. Garba is easy just try to get in circle in starting when it's slow. You will enjoy and get it easily.?
You make it sound so simple. Thank you. shall try someday for sure.
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Love the shot sweetheart !!! Podi sounds delicious and flavourful .. Awesome share for theme definitely 🙂
Thank you so much
We say ''pudchutney'' to it .I gives nice aste with rice. You have made it more tasty.
The rice based podis are different but may have the same ingredients as well. This is specifically for Sundals only. Thanks so much.
Love this Sundal podi. Bookmarking this recipe. An absolute saviour .Fantastic share Vidya.
Thank you Preethi!
Lovely and perfect share for the theme... 🙂
Thanks
What a lovely idea to make Sundal making even easier! I must try making a standard Sundal podi too!
Thank you so much
I loved your write up about Golu and can totally relate to what you said about the festive ambience in the air for all 9 days. It is one of the best festivals that I have cherished from my childhood. I would look forward to keeping the golu and go about with decorations and show off the creativity to all visitors, but sadly my husband's side the custom of golu is not there, but I hope I can start it sometime sooner 🙂
Have been following your recipes for quite sometime now, and needless to say they are amazing !
I hope and pray you start the Golu custom soon and enjoy the festivities. Thank you so much for all the kind words dear Priya. Cheers!
Loved making this podi recipe, my family thoroughly enjoys it ! I didn’t make it very spicy as my son is the one who loves it the most . I added it to the eggplant fry and it came out really good ! Thank you Vidya for sharing this wonderful recipe with us !!
Thank you so much for your feedback and glad the family enjoyed it. Appreciate all your kind words dear Bhawna.