Kadala Curry is a tasty, flavourful gravy made by cooking black chana along with coconut, onion, tomato, tempered spices and herbs. Kadala Curry is a popular Kerala sidedish relished as an accompaniment for Puttu and can be had with Aapam, Idiyappam etc. Kadala Curry Recipe is explained in this post with step by step pictures and video.
Puttu Kadala Curry is one of my most favorite Kerala breakfast recipes. My search for a perfect Kerala Kadala Curry Recipe which comes close to the one tasted at Alleppey finally ends here. Yes I have tried many versions and when I was on a casual talk with my friend who is from Kerala, she gave me this recipe and it came out pretty close to the one I tasted at Kerala so this is going to be my keeper.
About Kadala Curry
Kadala Curry – Kadala is black channa and a curry made with it is called Kadala Curry as it is popularly known in Kerala. Kadala Curry is traditionally served with Puttu or Aapam or Idiyappam. Chickpeas or Chana as it is locally called is rich in fiber and has all nutrients.
Traditional Kadala Curry is made by making a Kerala style garam masala roasting coconut until reddish brown then making a paste with it and add it to tempered items along with cooked chana.
Other than Puttu, Aapam, Idiyappam you can also serve Kadala Curry with idli, dosa, rice, chapathi etc. There are many variations of this Kadala Curry some use coconut milk, some make it very simple without roasting ingredients, some do not use coconut at all. This traditional kadala curry recipe was shared to me by my friend and I loosely adpated it to suit our taste and preference.
Kadala Curry Ingredients
- Black Chickpeas – Black Chana is traditionally used for kadala curry in Kerala.
- Coconut – Coconut is the main ingredient to be used here liek any other Kerala dish.
- Spices – Whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves are used. Garlic, ginger and green chillies are also used.
- Tempering – A basic tempering or tadka is made using coconut oil, musatrd seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and small onion.
- Spice powders – Turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriadner powder is used.
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Kadala Curry
Kadala Curry is a tasty, flavourful gravy made by cooking black chana along with coconut, onion, tomato, tempered spices and herbs. Kadala Curry is a popular Kerala dish relished as an accompaniment for Puttu and can be had with Aapam, Idiyappam too. Kadala Curry Recipe is explained in this post with step by step pictures and video.
Ingredients
- 1 cup black channa
- 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 cups water + water as needed
- salt to taste
To temper:
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- few curry leaves
- 2 small red chillies
- 1/3 cup small onion sliced
Others
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- 1 big onion sliced
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
Instructions
Soak 1 cup black channa in water for 8 hours or overnight.
I usually soak overnight. After 8 hours rinse it well atleast twice.
Add it to pressure cooker along with 2 cups water, salt and 1/8 tsp turmeric powder.
Pressure cook for 6 whistles or until chana becomes soft. Switch off and let pressure release by itself.
Open and check by pressing it should be soft and easily mashable. Set it aside.
To a fry pan add 1 tsp coconut oil then add 1/2 cup grated coconut. Start roasting in low flame.
Roast until reddish brown it will take atleast 7-10 mins. Transfer to a bowl, set it aside.
Now to the same fry pan add 1 tsp fennel seeds, two 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 4 strands mace and 1/2 tsp whole pepper.
Roast until aromatic and golden.
Now add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 heaped tsp red chilli powder and 1.5 tsp coriander powder. Quickly roast it and switch it off.
Add 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg.
Give a quick mix and remove from flame.
Transfer to the same bowl and cool down completely.
Add little water and grind it to a fine paste and set it aside.
To a claypot add 2 tbsp coconut oil. Once heated add 1 tsp garlic finely chopped, 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped, 1 green chilli finely chopped. Give a quick saute.
Add 1 sliced big onion along with salt. Saute until golden.
Add 2 tomatoes finely chopped.
Saute until tomatoes raw smell leaves and it turns mushy.
Add the grinded paste along with 1/4 cup rinsed water.
Give a quick mix and let it cook for 2 mins. We need not cook for long as its precooked.
Add cooked chana along with cooked water.
Mix it until well combined and Adjust salt at this stage.
Let it boil for few mins until oil separates.
Meanwhile we can prepare the tadka : Heat 2 tsp coconut oil – add 1 tsp mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add few curry leaves, 2 red chillies and 1/3 cup sliced small onion.
Fry until onions turn golden. Switch off and remove.
Add tadka to the boiling curry.
Give a quick mix and switch off. As its claypot it is still boiling even after switching off.
The curry tends to thicken with time so switch off accordingly.
Delicious Kadala Curry is ready.
Serve Kadala Curry with Puttu or Idiyappam or Aapam.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you dry roast coconut to reddish brown. Also after the spice powders are added quickly roast and switch off as they might get burnt easily.
- You can even replace small onion with big onion while tempering.
- Pressure cook chana until soft depends on the variety of chana.
- You can even saute onion, tomato until mushy and add it to ingredients while grinding to a paste.
- You can even add 1/2 cup coconut milk for great flavour in that case reduce coconut.
Nutrition Facts
Kadala Curry
Amount Per Serving (100 g)
Calories 478 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 1977mg86%
Potassium 817mg23%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 26g108%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 1873IU37%
Vitamin C 154mg187%
Calcium 230mg23%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Kadala Curry Recipe Step by Step
1.Soak 1 cup black channa in water for 8 hours or overnight.
2.I usually soak overnight. After 8 hours rinse it well atleast twice.
3.Add it to pressure cooker along with 2 cups water, salt and 1/8 tsp turmeric powder.
5.Pressure cook for 6 whistles or until chana becomes soft. Switch off and let pressure release by itself.
6.Open and check by pressing it should be soft and easily mashable. Set it aside.
7.To a fry pan add 1 tsp coconut oil then add 1/2 cup grated coconut. Start roasting in low flame.
8.Roast until reddish brown it will take atleast 7-10 mins. Transfer to a bowl, set it aside.
9.Now to the same fry pan add 1 tsp fennel seeds, two 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 4 strands mace and 1/2 tsp whole pepper.
10.Roast until aromatic and golden.
11.Now add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 heaped tsp red chilli powder and 1.5 tsp coriander powder. Quickly roast it and switch it off.
12.Add 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg.
13.Give a quick mix and remove from flame.
14.Transfer to the same bowl and cool down completely.
15.Add little water and grind it to a fine paste and set it aside.
16.To a claypot add 2 tbsp coconut oil. Once heated add 1 tsp garlic finely chopped, 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped, 1 green chilli finely chopped. Give a quick saute.
17.Add 1 sliced big onion along with salt. Saute until golden.
18.Add 2 tomatoes finely chopped.
19.Saute until tomatoes raw smell leaves and it turns mushy.
20.Add the grinded paste along with 1/4 cup rinsed water.
21.Give a quick mix and let it cook for 2 mins. We need not cook for long as its precooked.
22.Add cooked chana along with cooked water.
23.Mix it until well combined and Adjust salt at this stage.
24.Let it boil for few mins until oil separates.
25.Meanwhile we can prepare the tadka : Heat 2 tsp coconut oil – add 1 tsp mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add few curry leaves, 2 red chillies and 1/3 cup sliced small onion.
26.Fry until onions turn golden. Switch off and remove.
27.Add tadka to the boiling curry.
28.Give a quick mix and switch off. As its claypot it is still boiling even after switching off.
29.The curry tends to thicken with time so switch off accordingly.
30.Delicious Kadala Curry is ready.
Serve Kadala Curry with Puttu or Idiyappam or Aapam.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you dry roast coconut to reddish brown. Also after the spice powders are added do not burn.
- You can even replace small onion with big onion while tempering.
- Pressure cook chana until soft depends on the variety of chana.
- You can even add 1/2 cup coconut milk for great flavour in that case reduce coconut.
FAQS
1.Can I replace black chana with white chana?
Yes you replace black chana or chickpeas with white chickepeas however traditionally black chickpeas is used for Kadala Curry in Kerala.
2.What is Kadala Curry made of?
Kadala Curry made using black chana along with coconut, onion, tomato, tempered spices and herbs.
