Karamani / Black Eyed Peas Sundal - Navarathri Recipe

Preparation time: 10 minutes + 3 hours soaking time

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3

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Ingredients:
White Karamani / Black Eyed Peas - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal -1 tsp
Dry red chilies - 2, broken
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

For the spice powder: 
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Chana dal - 1 tbsp
Red chilies - 2
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak the black eyed peas in enough water for 3 hours.
2. After soaking,  pressure cook the peas with 2 cups of water (just enough to cover the peas) until soft, but not mushy (about 6 whistles).
3. Meanwhile, dry roast the ingredients for the spice powder until golden brown.  Let it cool and grind to a fine powder.
4. Drain the cooked peas.
5. Heat oil in a skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add urad dal and red chillies.  Fry until golden brown.
6. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.  Add the cooked peas, salt and turmeric powder.
7. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.  Add 2 tsp of  ground spice powder and mix well.  
8. Saute for 30 seconds and add the grated coconut and mix well.  Remove from the heat.

Suraikkai / Bottle Gourd Paruppu with Kuzhambu Vadam

Ingredients:
Suraikkai / Bottle gourd / Lauki - 1 big or  2 small
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 4, slit
Ginger - 1 tsp, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

For tempering:
Oil - 2 tsp and enough for deep frying vadam
Kuzhambu vadam - 10 to 15
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 3
Curry leaves
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Peel the suraikkai and chop into cubes.
2. Wash both toor and moong dal throughly.  
3. Pressure cook the dal with enough water along with suraikkai, slit green chillies, chopped ginger and turmeric powder.  Cook for 4 to 5 whistles or for about 10 minutes.
4. Once the pressure goes down, remove the lid and add salt.
5. Heat oil in a small skillet and fry the vadam until dark brown.
6. Add it to the dal and mix well.
7. Take out some of the oil and keep 2 tsp oil for tempering.
8. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
9. Add urad dal, cumin seeds, broken red chillies and asafoetida.  Fry until golden brown.
10. Remove from heat and add the curry leaves.  
11. Add the tempering into the dal and mix thoroughly.
12. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
13. Serve with rice or roti.