Sundals are a hallmark of South Indian Navratri celebrations — light, wholesome snacks made from steamed or boiled legumes such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas, green gram, horse gram, or peanuts, lightly tossed with coconut, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and a hint of lemon or grated raw mango. Because they rely mainly on lentils and pulses, they’re naturally rich in plant protein, complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, B-vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and folate. The coconut, curry leaves, and tempering add antioxidants and healthy phytonutrients. Their high fibre content helps with satiety, blood-sugar regulation, and digestive health, while the good amount of protein makes them an excellent mid-meal or post-puja snack. Since they are steamed or boiled and use little or no oil (depending on your recipe), sundals are gentle on the stomach and rarely cause acidity for most people; if you’re sensitive to legumes, soaking them well, discarding the soaking water, and cooking them thoroughly minimises flatulence or acid build-up. In taste, sundals are fresh, mildly nutty, and lightly spiced — clean flavours where the natural sweetness of the pulse meets the zest of curry leaves and a hint of tang from lemon or mango, making them simple yet deeply satisfying festive offerings. The emphasis of this Sundal is sweet, not savoury.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Bengal gram (chana dal, kadalai parupu)
1 cup water
1/8 tsp turmeric powder (haldi, manjal podi1/4 cup date paste
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (elaichi powder,, elakkai)
3 tbsp coconut
Method
Soak the Bengal gram for an hour
Add turmeric powder and ptessute cook for 3-4 whistles
Teansfer to a colander and permit to cool
Add the cardamom powder and coconut to a blender and pulse once
Avoid grinding
After the Bengal gram is cool, mix everything together and serve immediately
Enjoy!