Malayali Kadala Curry – Black Chickpea Curried in roasted Coconut and shallots

 

 

Hello wonderful readers!

How have you all been? This week has been insanely crazy. Lots of work and we ordered in dinner yesterday cause I had no time to make dinner! The week started out just right. A little work out, a few good shoots and then yesterday by late afternoon this massive headache. Anyway today has also been a day of Muti tasking and much more, but on the bright side my little one is still sleeping so I have a few minutes to spare and write this blog post.

This recipe is very close to my heart. It is my grandma’s recipe and every one in my family absolutely LOVES this dish. In fact this dish is the main reason my cousin and I fight over the breakfast table. For a normal house hold of 5 people, 2 cups of chickpea are more than enough but in our case my grandma makes an entire cooker full of it and she hides half of it from my cousin brother cause only then would I get anything!! That being said, even the rest would disappear in no time 🙂 Where I am from this curry is a staple with “PUTTU” – steamed rice cakes. That recipe I will post soon. Kadala curry is a little time consuming but is so worth it and trust me, you would wanna have this with everything . Including a slice of bread!!

Ingredients :-

 

• Kadala / Black Chickpea – 2 cups ( soaked for 6 – 8 hours)
• Coconut – 1 ( divided into two)
• Onions – 1 ( sliced lengthwise)
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
• Shallots – 9
• Dried Red Chillies – 6 a
• Coriander Seeds – 1/4 cup
• Cinnamon – 1 small stick
• Cloves – 5
• Green Cardamom – 3
• Pepper corn – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves – 14 ( cleaned and dry) + 6
• Fennel Seeds – 2 tbsp
• Coconut Oil – 3 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 + 1/2 tbsp
• Water – 1/2 cup (optional)
• Salt – according to taste ( we use around 1 tbsp ) but it depends on the chickpea and the curry it self
• Green Chillies – 4 slit into two ( optional)

 

Instructions :-

First lets prep the coconut

 

• Cut the coconut into two
• Use one half and cut into small thin strips
• Grate the other half – if you are using store bot desiccated coconut then use 2 + 1/2 cups

 

1. In a large wok or khadai. Add the coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cinnamon, shallots, green cardamom, curry leaves (14), fennel seeds and pepper corns
2. Now with the flame on low, roasted the mixture till its nice and brown in colour. Make sure to toss the mixture every now and then or else the coconut might burn
3. Once the mixture is golden brown ( a little dark brown is fine too) empty it into a blender jar and blend till it forms a nice paste. Now ideally it should turn pasty on its own but if it does not then add a few table spoons of water to help it along
4. Now once that is done set it aside
5. In an instant cooker add the Chickpeas, with the turmeric, sliced coconuts and onions.  Cook for 5 whistles or till the chickpeas are soft to touch. Set aside
6. Now in the same large wok add the coconut oil and once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds
7. As soon as they splutter add the curry leaves. Then add the roasted coconut mixture and cook till all the moisture has evaporated
8. Then add the cooked chickpeas. And cover and cook till the curry becomes nice and thick.
9. Finally add salt and the split green chillies
10. Cook for another 5 mins and serve HOT!!