Sundals are savory snacks; this one is popular served in a newspaper cone, to be nibbled at while strolling on a sunny beach. Fluffy seasoned chickpeas offer healthy nutrition, but more importantly, they’re delicious!
2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 4 15 oz. cans)
2-3 T vegetable oil
8-10 red pearl onions (or 2-3 large shallots), sliced finely
3-5 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
1/2 t. cayenne
1 t. salt
1 T lime juice
1 c. green mango, chopped
1. Drain chickpeas and rinse in cold water.
2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high; add onions (or shallots) and chilies; sauté stirring until onions are translucent.
3. Add chickpeas, cayenne, and salt to the same pot, with sufficient water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down and cook until tender, approximately 1 hr. Near the end of cooking, remove lid and let any remaining water boil off; for the final result, chickpeas should be glistening with a light sheen of oil.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and chopped mango; mix thoroughly and serve as a snack, or as an accompaniment to a rice and curry meal.
NOTE: Common variations include sautéing mustard seeds, curry leaves, and/or chopped green chili with the onions, and stirring in fresh coconut and/or chopped raw onion at the end.
Payatham paniyaram urundai is a homestyle sweet made from humble ingredients, popular in Jaffna. Nutty red rice flour combines with roasted mung bean flour, toasted coconut, and complex jaggery to create a protein-rich sweet, which is then dipped in batter and briefly fried.
The end result offers a blend of sweet-salty flavor, along with textural contrast. These protein-packed treats are typically served at festive occasions in Sri Lanka.
For filling:
1/2 c. green gram / moong dal / mung bean flour
1/2 c. red rice flour
1/4 c. jaggery or brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 t. ground cardamom
1/3 c. grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
1/3 c. warm water
For batter:
1/4 c. white flour
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1/4 t. fine salt
1/3 c. warm water
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
NOTE: It’s easy to grind mung beans and rice into flour in a blender; the kind used for smoothies works well. For this recipe, you can use either whole green mung beans, or split yellow mung beans; the latter may be easier to grind.
1. In a frying pan on medium-high toast mung bean flour for a few minutes, stirring, until pleasantly aromatic. Combine in a large bowl with red rice flour, jaggery or brown sugar, white sugar, and cardamom powder.
2. In the same pan, toast grated coconut, stirring, until it is lightly golden; a few minutes. Add to the mixture in the bowl.
3. Add 1/3 c. warm water and mix well. Shape mixture into small, tightly-packed balls (roughly 1 inch) and set aside on a plate.
4. Now make the batter — in a small bowl, combine white flour, turmeric, and fine salt. Add roughly 1/3 c. warm water; the batter should be thick and pourable.
5. Heat oil for deep-frying until very hot (about 350F if you’re using a thermometer or electric fryer). Dip each ball into batter and drop gently into hot oil, a few at a time. You want to avoid having them stick together, and also avoid lowering the temperature too much by adding many at once. Cook until lightly golden, a minute or two, and then remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
6. Serve at room temperature; payatham paniyaram may be stored in an airtight container for a few days, but they’re best freshly-fried. If you’d like to store them longer, be sure to omit the coconut.
