Mochai Sundal recipe. This sundal is made using dried mocha kottai (butter beans) and not the fresh, raw mochai. It makes an apt prasadham to distribute for friends and neighbours when they visit for evening pooja during Navratri.
Mochai is nothing but Dried Field Beans or Butter Beans or Hyacinth beans. It is known as “Vaal” in Maharashtra and other Northern states of India and sprouted Vaal is used in many recipes.
Sundals, Kheers and Rava Kesari are my family favorites. I don’t wait for a special occasion to make any of these. In fact, sundals are a staple in snack box items that is packed off to school for my kids.
It is protein packed and highly nutritious. This mochai sundal is completely vegan and gluten free. As I make this for distributing to family and friends, I have added onion in this recipe.
But if you are particular about following vrat regulations and opting to cook only recipes that have no onion and no garlic, then just follow the recipe leaving out the onions.
This sundal is very filling and eating very little goes a long way and keeps you from hunger pangs for a longer time. The preparation should be moist enough as mochai sundal becomes dry quickly and eating it after it becomes cold will be tedious.
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Apart from serving this mochai sundal as a prasad for Navratri, you can also serve this as a side dish with sambar, rasam or curd rice. Other Sundal recipes that might interest you are:
- Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal (Beach Sundal)
- Kondakadalai (chana) sundal
- Pacha Payaru sundal
- Sweet Corn sundal
- Peanut Sundal
- Moongdal Sundal
Mochai (Vaal) by itself is a bit hard than when compared to other legumes. Hence cooking it properly before using it in a recipe is very important. If its not cooked properly it will lead to gastric problems in kids and elder people.
The quality of the dried mochai will vary. So pressure cook accordingly. The cooked mochai should be very easily mashed between your index finger and thumb. There should not be any hardness at all.
Mochai Sundal recipe details below:

Mochai Sundal Recipe - Butter Beans Sundal
Ingredients
- Mochai - 1 cup dried
- Onion - 1 large
- Green chilies - 3
- Dried red chilies - 3
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Urad dal - 2 tsp
- Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
- Curry leaves - 1 sprig
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
- Thin Tamarind extract - 2 to 3 tbsp
- Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - 1 tbsp
Instructions
Preparation:
- Soak mochai in plenty of water over night or for 8 hours. Discard the soaked water, rinse well.
- Chop the onion finely. Slit and cut the green chilies into 2 or 3.
How to cook Mochai:
- Place the rinsed mochai in a pressure cooker. Add turmeric powder, 2 pinch salt, enough water, that it 1 inch above the mochai and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles.
- Once the pressure is released, drain into a colander. Use the excess water in sambar or rasam without discarding it. Keep mochai aside.
How to make Mochai Sundal Recipe:
- Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
- Add urad dal, asafoetida, broken dry red chilies and cook for few seconds till the dal becomes golden brown.
- Add onions, green chilies, curry leaves and saute till the onions become translucent.
- Add tamarind extract, red chili powder, salt and mix well. Cook for 1 minute over low flame.
- Add cooked mochai (butter beans), grated coconut, mix well and cook for 1 more minute.
- Switch off stove and close the pan tightly with a lid and let it rest for 5 to 7 mins for the mochai to absorb all the flavors.
- Mochai sundal is ready. Serve hot or warm.
- This stays well for 3 to 4 days when kept refrigerated.

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