Peanut Sundal (South Indian Snack)

 

          Peanut Sundal is a healthy and a nutritious snack preparation, very popular in South India, especially Tamil Nadu. It is also made with white chickpeas (kabuli chana).

          They are sometimes served in temples as offerings and can also be found, being sold in beaches and parks. So this simple and yummy snack can be enjoyed with your evening cup of tea / coffee. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing snack.   

• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the peanuts in sufficient water overnight or for minimum 3-4 hours. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, green chilies and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the boiled peanuts and salt. Sauté on high flame for a minute and switch off the flame.  

          Add the grated coconut and give it a toss. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves as a tea-time snack.

                   Soak peanuts overnight or for min. 3-4 hours. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
                   Drain and keep aside. 

                    Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies. Add asafoetida, 
                    curry leaves, green chilies and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add boiled peanuts & salt. Sauté on high flame for a minute & switch off 
                     flame. Add the grated coconut and give it a toss. 

                               Serve, garnished with coriander leaves as a tea-time snack.

Satay Peanut Sauce / Dip - Malaysian Style

          This aromatic and mouth watering sauce is a perfect accompaniment to chicken satay. This Malaysian style Peanut sauce is extremely tongue tingling with all the flavors like spicy, sweet and sour. 

          Peanuts, being the main ingredient, is combined with galangal, garlic, red chilies, tamarind paste and sugar to make this delicious dip. This sauce can also be served with kebabs, tikkis or vegetable crudités. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1-2 lemongrass, chopped (only the white portions)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1" galangal, sliced (ginger can be used as a substitute)
• 6-7 dry red chilies
• 1 cup roasted peanuts, powdered
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1-2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. oil

          Blend together lemongrass, garlic, galangal and red chilies along with some water into a paste. 

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Now add the ground paste and fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.
  
          Add the peanuts, salt, sugar, tamarind paste and a cup water. Mix everything well and simmer till it thickens slightly and the oil separates. Serve along with chicken satay.

                                Heat oil & saute onion till light brown. 

                              Add ground paste & fry on a medium flame till oil separates.
  

                               Add peanuts, salt, sugar, tamarind paste & a cup water. 

                                Mix well & simmer till it thickens slightly.....

                         

..... and oil separates. 

                               Serve along with chicken satay.

Sago Custard with Peanut Chikki & Jalebis

          Sago Kheer is a very common dessert in every festival and special occasions at home or outside. It must be quite boring to have the same type of dessert time and again. So why not try this unusual dessert? It has custard and sago in it along with some crushed peanut chikki for a slight crunch and few jalebis to garnish. There is a bite to every spoonful of this delicious dessert. It is also very appealing and appetizing too.

• 5 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sago / sabudana, soaked overnight
• few jalebis, broken
• 1/4 cup peanut chikki (crunchy bars made of peanut & jaggery), crushed
• 15 cubes of brown sugar / 6 level tbsps. or to taste
• 3 tbsp. custard powder (any flavor)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water

          Bring the milk to a boil. Mix the custard powder with 1/2 cup milk into a smooth paste and keep aside. 

          To the boiling milk, add the crushed chikki and stir continuously for 4-5 minutes on low flame.

          After it gets completely dissolved, add the sago, cardamom powder and sugar. Simmer for a further 4-5 minutes. 

          Now gently pour the custard mix into the milk and continue to stir till it becomes slightly thick.

          It will further thicken when it cools down. When it comes to the room temperature, add the rose water and garnish with the jalebis. Chill to serve.

Peanut Masala

       
          This is a simple, yet a delicious snack much liked by everyone. A perfect appetizer for any party, it livens up the atmosphere. It can also be considered as a chaat item mixed with onion, tomato, green chilies and coriander leaves, all finely chopped. You can also add 1 tbsp. of mint chutney to add some zing to it. The topping of bhujia is optional but if used, adds some color and flavor to the snack.

• 1 cup roasted salted peanuts
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice / 1/2 tsp. chaat masala
• 2-3 tbsp. bhujia (opt)

          In a bowl combine all the above ingredients and enjoy as a tea time snack or as an appetizer.

           This dish tends to get soggy so it needs to be consumed immediately.