Sundal is a signature TamBram stir-fried dish. While I love a home cooked sundal, which is usually a simple version without any fanfare, what I really crave for is the Marina Beach version with its trademark ‘thenga-manga-pattani’ (coconut, mango and garbanzos) sundal. It is a very simple dish that is high in protein and a perfect one to make it in the Instant Pot. I think it is best served as an appetizer along with some masala vada. No wonder then that this has become a famous bar food in some of the elite Chennai ‘clubs.’ So here is a recipe for a hipster’s version of this famous dish. But if you would rather prefer a simple ‘sadhu’ version, just drop the onions, ginger and mango part of the recipe.
Peanut Sundal – The Spicy Indian
This is a vegan dish. It can also be prepared as a gluten free food, if you avoid the hing while garnishing/cooking.
You can replace garbanzos with peanuts and the recipe is identical.
Print Recipe
Peanut Sundal
Best Appetizer for a party. Here is a recipe for a hipster’s version of this famous dish. But if you would rather prefer a simple ‘sadhu’ version, just drop the onions, ginger and mango part of the recipe.
Rinse the peanuts thoroughly and soak them for about 20 minutes.
Dice the green chilies and the onion into fine pieces. Peel the mango skin, and grate it into small pieces.
Rinse the peanuts and pour them into to the Inner Pot of the Instant Pot. Add about 3.0 cup of water. Make sure that the water level is enough and over the surface of the peanuts. Close the lid, and cook for 25 min at high pressure. Cool down naturally. Open the lid and drain the water. Set the peanuts aside.
In the Instant Pot, press ‘sauté’ and ‘adjust’ to ensure the digital display is on ‘more.’ This is the high setting for sauté.
Add oil to the Inner Pot. When it is hot, add hing, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and the red chilies. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add cumin seeds and the urd dhal. Stir for a few minutes.
Add, salt, green chilies and the ginger. Add one half of the cut onions. Continue to stir until they blend in with the rest of the spices. It is not necessary to cook the onions completely.
Add the drained peanuts and stir it constantly until the peanuts and the rest of the spices are mixed well with the spices. Add the rest of the onion and slowly fry the peanuts for one to two minutes. Add coconut and the shredded mango and mix well.
Set the Instant Pot on ‘saute’ mode with high heat. Fry them together for a minute.
Press ‘cancel’ to get out of the sauté mode. Set the Instant Pot on slow cook set on ‘normal’ (medium) heat, and put the lid on. Cook for 30 minutes.
Garnish with long cut onions, green chilies split along the length, and cilantro.
Leave the Instant Pot on slow cook on medium heat and serve the sundal hot from the dish, just the way it is done in the Marina Beach.
Hi, nice to see a thenga manga sundal recipe. Was wondering why you cooked the raw mango, though. Shouldn’t the raw mango and half of onions be added after you have switched off?
Thanks
Thara
Fantastic question. The idea is to replicate the street food taste, esp., that in Chennai Marina beach, where they keep the sundal warm for the entire evening. There is something to be said for this. I think the sour taste of the green mango along with the coconut sweetness in low heat seeps into the sundal that gives sweet tangy taste to it. The trick is though – to keep it low enough heat and just for enough time. Please try it, and comment back to tell us how it turned out.
Ha! Clever! 🙂 I thought the keep warm function would be enough to wilt the raw mango and onions enough to get the Beach sundal taste. But yes I shall try this next weekend for my son’s birthday and let you know. Sadly it is autumn and no chance of raw mangoes! 🙁
Hi! Me again. No luck with raw mango. Should I add a touch of amchur at all or is it best left out, thanks. Going to do a trial run today, ahead of the big day.
Thara
Hi, nice to see a thenga manga sundal recipe. Was wondering why you cooked the raw mango, though. Shouldn’t the raw mango and half of onions be added after you have switched off?
Thanks
Thara
Fantastic question. The idea is to replicate the street food taste, esp., that in Chennai Marina beach, where they keep the sundal warm for the entire evening. There is something to be said for this. I think the sour taste of the green mango along with the coconut sweetness in low heat seeps into the sundal that gives sweet tangy taste to it. The trick is though – to keep it low enough heat and just for enough time. Please try it, and comment back to tell us how it turned out.
Ha! Clever! 🙂 I thought the keep warm function would be enough to wilt the raw mango and onions enough to get the Beach sundal taste. But yes I shall try this next weekend for my son’s birthday and let you know. Sadly it is autumn and no chance of raw mangoes! 🙁
Hi! Me again. No luck with raw mango. Should I add a touch of amchur at all or is it best left out, thanks. Going to do a trial run today, ahead of the big day.
Thara
I think it is better to leave it alone.