Having grown up in a family with North-Indian as well as South-Indian influence, I always associated Kerala food with simple, easy to digest food. It was only recently when I visited some Mallu friends that I realised that Kerala food can also be very, very sharp and loaded with spices. To me, this was the way Kerala made kadala curry. Now I know that there is a much more complicated version similar to the Punjabi chole that is served with appams in many a Mallu household. Having grown up with this version, I’d say I’m biased. To me, nothing beats this simple, soothing kadala curry and the bliss it brings when paired with a soft appam. Enjoy.
Serves 4
Time taken: 25 min (Overnight Soaking Required)
Ingredients:
2 cups black gram (kadala/ black channa)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1″ piece of ginger
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 sprigs Curry leaves
½ cup coconut milk (optional)
Method:
- Soak the black gram overnight and pressure-cook for 10 minutes with salt and enough water. (If you like your kadala soft you may add a pinch of baking soda before cooking)
- Take 2 tbsp of the cooked black gram, mash lightly and put it back into the curry.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard.
- When the mustard begins to splutter, add the onion, garlic, ginger and curry leaves and stir on medium flame until soft.
- Add the spices and stir well.
- Add the cooked black gram and coconut milk.
- Serve.