Shundal
By: Cheryl Snell
Published: Sunday, October 24, 2010 - 11:23am

Ingredients




2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon urad dal
3 split dried red chilies (optional)
salt to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric

Preparation

1 In a pan, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds and fry. 2 Reduce to medium heat, add urad dal, and cook to golden brown. 3 Add turmeric and the dried red chilies, if you're using them. 4 Sauté the chickpeas for five minutes. 5 Add freshly grated coconut to the mixture.

About


The  sweet called shundal is made especially for this festival of female friendship, Navaratri, which marks the period of nine nights when female divinity is celebrated all over India. The first three days are dedicated to the worship of Durga,the mother of the universe, the next three days to the worship of Lakshmi, giver of spiritual wealth, and the last three days to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Women decorate with oil lamps, and show off their displays of dolls to visitors. The doll ceremony is called Golu, and can be very elaborate.