Sundal

Ingredients

• 2 cups chick peas (kabuli chana or kala chana)
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp urad dal
• 2-4 cayenne peppers to taste
• Curry leaves, to taste
• ½ tsp garam masala (optional)
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing) (optional)
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Soak chick peas in 4-5 cups water for 6-8 hours and then cook (alternatively use canned cooked chick peas). Drain water completely.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds and cover the pan.  When the seeds are done popping, add urad dal and stir until lightly browned, then add cayenne pepper and curry leaves, and stir for 15 sec.  Add cooked chick peas, garam masala, hing, salt and black pepper. Stir well and heat on medium heat until all water has evaporated (about 15 min).

Serves 6-8

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 2 large eggs at room temp
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Directions

1. Beat sugars, butter, eggs, and vanilla at medium speed for 1 min and then at high speed for 1 min.
2. Mix all the remaining ingredients except nuts.  Gradually add to sugar mixture, stirring at low speed for 2 min and then at medium speed for 1 min.
3. Add nuts and stir at low speed for 30 sec.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased baking sheets and bake at 375 deg for 11-14 min.
5. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 60-72 cookies

Bombay Snack Mix

Ingredients

• ½ cup chick peas (kabuli chana)
• ½ cup black-eyed peas 
• ½ cup dry sweet peas (vatana)
• ½ cup cashew nuts, roasted
• ½ cup peanuts, roasted
• ¼ tsp  roasted and ground cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Soak chick peas in 2 cups water.  Soak black-eyed and sweet peas in 4 cups water.  After about 8 hours, drain water.
2. Add 1 cup water to chick peas and heat.  When it starts boiling, cover and remove from heat. After 30 min, drain water.
3. Mix all peas, add cumin powder, paprika, chili powder, garam masala, asafoetida and salt.  Set aside for 30 min.
4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry peas mixture on medium heat until dry.  Add nuts, stir and continue heating for 10 min.
5. Either  continue heating on stove top at low heat for 45-60 min, stirring occasionally OR spread evenly on a baking pan and bake at 350 deg for 30-45 min.  The mixture should be crunchy but not too hard.  Please note that the mixture will continue to harden a little even after removing from the stove/oven.

Serves 8-10

Green Beans and Coconut Thoran

Ingredients

• 2 cups long beans, cut into 2 inch strips
• 3 tbsp grated unsweetened coconut
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 2-4 dried red chili pepper
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp urad dal
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• A pinch of saffron (optional)
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook beans with water until they are tender, then drain the water.
2. Mix beans, coconut, salt and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds and cover the pan.  When the seeds are done popping, add the rest of the ingredients and toast for 15 sec.
4. Add the toasted mix to the beans and coconut mixture, then stir well.

Serves 4
Recipe by Holly