Mochai sundal

Typical Indian snacks are made with dals, less oil and more spices. No wonder these foods are considered divine and offered during holy days by Indians. Here is one snack called sundal made with field beans.
Fresh field beans (pachai mochai) was a rare sight to see in my birth place. So mom used to do this sundal with dried field beans (kanja mochai). I have also made this dish with dried beans.
Many years back when we went to my Gandhi chithi's house in Madurai for a vacation, I had an opportunity to see the fresh beans with pods there. I enjoyed peeling them off sitting around the big platter filled with these bean pods and listening to my chithi and amma talking and giggling with my sister :) Chithi cooked some mochai along with pod and salt and we had that also without tempering. That plain beans too tasted very delicious. Then she made some masala curry using this. Those days were memorable for me, playing with my loving sister, brothers and eating moon light dinners. Some scenes are like video in our minds and we replay them and cherish all those memories. Whenever  I look back, I  thank God for my family and those golden moments.
After marriage, the few years in Chennai brought me all the seasonal vegetables I love, as hubby too enjoys tasting the rare vegetables . So if you love field beans, do try this recipe and enjoy.


Sundal - Indian salad with various beans.
Hindi - Val dal / English - Hyacinth bean or field bean / Tamil - Mochai payeru or mochai kai or mochai kottai / Telugu - Anapa kayalu or Ginjalu
 

Ingredients:
dried mochai - 1/2 cup
 oil - 1 tsp
fennel - 1 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
salt - to taste
dry red chilly - 1
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

To grind:
shredded coconut -2 tbsp
ginger - 1 inch
cumin - 1/2 tsp
green chilly - 1

Preparation:
(If we are using the fresh beans no need to pressure cook. Just cook by stove top method).
For dried mochai:  Dry roast the mochai kottai, till we see dark spots on the outer layer and a nice aroma. Then rinse it with water twice. Add water till it gets well immersed. Soak overnight or an hour. Add turmeric and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
(we can cook it in stove top also, but it will take an hour).
Grind the items given without adding water to a coarse mixture.
Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds. As soon as it turns red, add the curry leaves, dry red chilly and immediately add the cooked vaal (mochai). Add required salt, ground mixture and fry till it looks loose without any moisture.
Switch off. Mochai sundal is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as snack or side dish with rice and puli kulambu.