Here is my complete collection of easy, traditional sundal varieties for Navratri along with a 9 days sundal recipes list and soaking tips. From spicy sundal, sundal podi recipe to jaggery sweet sundal, learn how to make delicious no-onion, no-garlic prasadam recipes for your Golu celebrations.
In South India, Sundal is the most important and must prepare prasadam recipes during Navaratri. 9 varieties of sundal is prepared during these nine days / 9 sundal vagaigal (Nava means 9 , ratri is night) festival in Tamil nadu. Apart from tradition, there are some scientific reasons to consume legumes / navadhaniyam during Navratri days. Though we can make varieties of sweets and snacks, sundal recipes are mainly prepared and distributed as prasad to friends and relatives who visit our house Golu.
The most common sundal varieties are chana /chickpeas/ kondakadalai sundal using white and brown ones, peas/ pattani sundal, green gram dal / pachai payaru sundal, Cowpeas / karamani sundal, Field beans/ mochai sundal, Kidney beans / rajma sundal, moong dal/ paasi paruppu sundal, and 9 mixed legumes / navadhaniyam sundal.
The basic preparation of sundal recipes is very simple. For this, legumes are soaked overnight, pressure cooked, tempered with spices and finally garnished with grated coconut. Some sundal recipes like chana dal sundal, sweet corn, green gram, cowpeas, moong dal sundal recipes can be prepared instantly without soaking.
All sundal recipes should be prepared without onion and garlic as we are offering to God. But nowadays people make variations by adding garam masala, sundal powder etc. So far I have shared more than 15 different types of sundal recipes in my blog. Lets see the list of all sundal recipes under one page in this post.
9 Days Navratri Sundal Recipes List
Planning your Navratri naivedyam in advance makes the festival morning completely stress-free! Here is the authentic 9-day schedule followed across traditional South Indian homes. Do check out my Navratri 9 days 9 recipes list for Tamil nadu, Andhra and North Indian recipes.
| Day & Goddess Form | Sundal Prasadam (Recipe) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Shailaputri | Karuppu Kondakadalai (Black Chana) | Savory |
| Day 2: Brahmacharini | Pachai Payaru (Green Gram) | Savory / Sweet |
| Day 3: Chandraghanta | Vella Karamani (Sweet Cowpeas) | Sweet (Jaggery) |
| Day 4: Kushmanda | Pattani Sundal (White / Green Peas) | Savory |
| Day 5: Skandamata | Kadalai Paruppu (Chana Dal) | Savory |
| Day 6: Katyayani | Rajma Sundal (Red Kidney Beans) | Savory |
| Day 7: Kalaratri | Verkadalai Sundal (Peanut / Groundnut) | Savory |
| Day 8: Mahagauri | Paasi Paruppu (Yellow Moong Dal) | Savory |
| Day 9: Siddhidatri | Navadhanya Sundal (Rangoli Sundal) | Savory |
| Day 10: Vijayadasami | Sweet Corn Sundal / White Chana | Sweet / Savory |
Soaking & Pressure Cooking Details
To make sure your legumes are tender without bursting or turning mushy, keep this quick soaking and whistle reference handy:
| Legume / Dal | Soaking Time | Pressure Cooker Whistles |
|---|---|---|
| Black Chana & White Kabuli Chana | 7 to 8 Hours (Overnight) | 4 to 5 whistles (Medium flame) |
| Dried Green / White Peas (Pattani) | 8 Hours (Overnight) | 3 to 4 whistles (Medium flame) |
| Rajma (Kidney Beans) | 8 to 9 Hours | 5 whistles (Medium flame) |
| Whole Green Gram (Pachai Payaru) | 1 to 2 Hours (or Instant) | 2 whistles |
| Cowpeas / Black-Eyed Peas (Karamani) | 2 Hours (or Instant) | 2 whistles |
| Raw Peanuts (Verkadalai) | 1 to 2 Hours | 2 to 3 whistles |
| Chana Dal (Kadalai Paruppu) | 30 Mins (Warm water) | 1 to 2 whistles (or Open pot) |
| Yellow Moong Dal (Paasi Paruppu) | 15 Mins (Quick soak) | Open pot (5-7 mins) or 1 whistle |
| Sweet Corn & Fresh Peas | No soaking (0 mins) | Boil 5 mins in open pot |
Pro-Tips to Avoid Mushy Sundal
- Forgot to soak overnight? Don’t panic! Rinse your chickpeas or dried peas and transfer them to an insulated hot-pack / casserole. Pour boiling hot water, cover tightly with the lid, and let it rest for 1 to 1.5 hours. They will plump up nicely and be ready for pressure cooking. To make soft sundal with lesser cooking time, you can add a pinch of baking soda while pressure cooking. Discard the water after cooking. Thanks to Mrs. Mallika Badrinath mam for this tips.
- Drain thoroughly in a colander: Never toss hot, wet legumes directly into the tadka pan. Strain completely and allow the excess water to drip away for 5 minutes. If excess moisture remains, your sundal will turn soggy. But reserve 2 tbsp of water to add if required.
- Cook lentils (Moong & Chana dal) with care: Lentils soften very quickly. I always recommend cooking yellow moong dal in an open vessel with just enough water until 90% tender. It should never turn paste-like!
- When to add salt: Always add salt to the pressure cooker while boiling hard legumes (chana, peas, rajma) so the salt absorbs deep into the legumes. For dals like moong and chana dal, add salt at the very end with the tadka.
- Fresh coconut timing: Always turn off the stove before stirring in the freshly grated coconut. Overcooking coconut dries it out and ruins its sweet, fresh flavor.
- Moisture retention tip for Golu: Keep the sundal in a closed casserole dish so it stays soft and warm for friends and guests visiting throughout the evening.
Homemade Sundal Podi Recipe
Friends, preparing sundal every single day for 9 days can feel overwhelming. I always make a small batch of this aromatic homemade Sundal Podi before Navratri begins. Adding just 1 to 2 teaspoons of this freshly roasted spice blend along with grated coconut gives your sundals an irresistible temple prasadam aroma!
Quick Recipe: All-in-One Sundal Podi
Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 5 mins | Yield: 1/2 Cup (Lasts for all 9 Days)
Ingredients:
- Coriander seeds (Dhania) – 2 tbsp
- Chana dal (Bengal gram) – 2 tbsp
- Urad dal (Split black gram) – 1 tbsp
- Dried red chillies – 4 to 5 nos (adjust to your spice preference)
- Asafoetida (Hing) – 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 1/2 tsp (optional, for aroma)
- Cooking oil – 1/2 tsp (optional, or dry roast)
Instructions:
- Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a kadai on low flame. Add chana dal and urad dal first. Roast until they begin turning light golden.
- Add coriander seeds, red chillies, and cumin seeds. Roast patiently on low-medium flame until aromatic and golden brown.
- Switch off the flame and add the hing powder so it blooms in the residual heat.
- Allow the mixture to cool down completely, then grind it in a small mixie jar to a slightly coarse powder (do not make it overly fine).
- Store in an airtight glass container. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp over any boiled sundal at the time of adding grated coconut!
18+ Navratri Sundal Recipes Collection
Here is the complete step-by-step collection of traditional sweet and savory sundal recipes from my kitchen:
- Kondakadalai Masala Sundal (Spicy Brown Chickpeas)
- Avarekalu Usili / Avarekalu Sundal (Hyacinth Beans)
Explore more festive ideas: Navratri Recipes Collection (Sweets & Snacks)
Learn step-by-step: How to Keep Navratri Golu at Home (Pooja Procedure & Steps)
Frequently Asked Questions
In South Indian tradition, sundal is offered as sacred naivedyam to Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati during the 9 nights of Navratri and distributed as prasadam to Golu visitors. Scientifically, Navratri falls during the seasonal transition into autumn, and protein-rich legumes provide balanced nutrition, strengthen immunity, and keep energy levels high during fasting.
If you forgot to soak legumes like chickpeas or dried peas overnight, rinse them thoroughly and place them in a thermal casserole or insulated flask. Pour rolling boiling water until they are completely covered, close the lid tightly, and rest for 60 to 90 minutes. They will soften and be ready to pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles with a pinch of salt.
Yes, all authentic Navratri sundal recipes are strictly satvik and made completely without onion and garlic since they are offered to God. Traditional sundal gets its wonderful aroma from mustard seeds, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves, hing (asafoetida), and fresh grated coconut.
To keep sundal soft and moist throughout the day, reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the boiled legume cooking water. After tossing the sundal with tadka and coconut, sprinkle this reserved liquid over the warm sundal and store it in an insulated hot box (casserole). This traps moisture and keeps the sundal tender and fresh for hours.
What a Fantastic Post!! Love your work.
Thank you