Kadala Curry | Varutharacha Kadala Curry | Kerala Style Kadala Curry

Puttu and Kadala is a Sunday staple at home.I have posted a few kadala curry recipes here already but off late,this is the recipe I follow as it gives a great result and is quick as well.I personally feel kadala curry tastes best when it made with roasted coconut and spices.This gives it a great texture and no doubt,tastes great too.Pairs really well with Puttu,Appam and Idiyappam.

Somehow varutharacha curry sounds difficult and time consuming for many.Believe me,it isn't.Even though the original version requires roasting of coconut along with red chillies and coriander,here we take a small detour by roasting coconut and then adding spice powders which quickens the process without compromising on the taste one bit,that's win-win right?

Varutharacha Kadala Curry

Ingredients

Brown Channa/Kadala/Chickpeas - 1 cup,washed well and soaked for 8-10 hours and then drained

Salt to taste

For roasting

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Shallots - 4-5,sliced

Garlic - 1 clove

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Pepper - 1/4 tsp,crushed

Turmeric powder/Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

For Tadka

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Shallots - 3-4,sliced

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Red chillies - 2-3,broken

Method

Pressure cook the channa/kadala adding enough water for 10-15 minutes or until well cooked.Add salt to taste and keep aside.

In a thick bottom pan(I use cast iron) add the ingredients for roasting - coconut,shallots,garlic,curry leaves and crushed pepper.

Saute on medium flame till everything heats up.Lower the flame and roast the ingredients till the coconut starts changing colour to a golden brown.

Once the coconut is evenly browned add in the masala powders - haldi,garam masala,chilly and coriander powder.Saute on low flame for a minute or two until the raw smell of the masala leaves.

Switch off the flame and let it cool down a little.

Grind to a smooth paste in the mixie-first grind without adding water.Once everything is powdered add enough water and grind to a smooth paste.

Into a pan add coconut oil and give tadka with mustard seeds,curry leaves,red chillies and shallots.Once the shallots starts changing colour add the ground paste and give it a boil.

Mix in the cooked channa along with the water and let it come to a boil.Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve hot with Puttu:)

Step by Step Pictorial

Pressure cook the channa/kadala adding enough water for 10-15 minutes or until well cooked.Add salt to taste and keep aside.

In a thick bottom pan(I use cast iron) add the ingredients for roasting - coconut,shallots,garlic,curry leaves and crushed pepper.

Saute on medium flame till everything heats up.Lower the flame and roast the ingredients till the coconut starts changing colour to a golden brown.

Once the coconut is evenly browned add in the masala powders - haldi,garam masala,chilly and coriander powder.Saute on low flame for a minute or two until the raw smell of the masala leaves.

Switch off the flame and let it cool down a little.

Grind to a smooth paste in the mixie-first grind without adding water.Once everything is powdered add enough water and grind to a smooth paste.

Into a pan add coconut oil and give tadka with mustard seeds,curry leaves,red chillies and shallots.Once the shallots starts changing colour add the ground paste and give it a boil.

Mix in the cooked channa along with the water and let it come to a boil.Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve hot with Puttu:)

The consistency of the gravy depends on how much water we add.When serving with Puttu I make it slightly of thin consistency whereas while serving with appam,I make it slightly thickish.

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Chickpea Cucumber Salad | Vegetarian Quick Salad Recipes

Salads are not my favorites-period.Somehow the thought of eating raw stuff never appealed to me.But,there's always an exception,or rather exceptions.Salads which do not taste raw and salady(is that even a word?)get my thumbs up.We've been including lots of salads and stir-fries in our meals these days.It's so hot here in Chennai that filling up oneself with side eats like these sound much more appetizing than a full blown meal.

This one is inspired by David Rocco.In one of his shows,he made this quick Chickpea salad with sprouted chickpea and an assortment of spices and veggies.I always have cooked chickpea in my fridge,leftover from either Saarupkari or Kadala curry.So assembling this was a breeze.I'd suggest you keep a portion aside when you cook chickpeas,for this salad.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

Cooked Chickpeas/Brown Channa - 1/4 cup
Cucumber - 1/4 cup,chopped
Onion - 1/4 cup,chopped
Tomato - 1/4 cup,chopped
Green chilly - 1 small,finely chopped
Coriander leaves - about 2-3 tbsp,chopped
Salt to taste
Lime juice - 1 tsp,optional

Method

In a mixing bowl,assemble everything except salt and lime juice.

Just before serving add the salt and lime juice.

Tastes great on its own or as an accompaniment with your meal or even as a topping with some roasted Lijjat Pappad.

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Punjabi Chole Masala {for Bhatura,Puri & Roti}

I have mentioned before how I am addicted to watching cookery videos.I never get bored watching the same videos again and again and was almost thinking to myself that I was a lone person when it came to things like these.I was pleasantly surprised to discover our friends' son,who is only 5 years old,watching 'Show me the curry' and 'Howdini' videos!

When our friends come over and he gets bored,he asks for the laptop to watch his favorite train videos.One day he wanted to watch ice-cream videos and somehow we ended up at SMTC's Mango Ice-cream video.He demanded that we make it for him and then hopped on to this Chole video.Then he was pushed aside and me and my friend sat watching it and were delighted to see the recipe,a simple one with few ingredients and looking like just how a 'real' Chole is supposed to be.

She tried it the very next day and was over the top with the results,it turned out just like how it was in the video and she has made it a couple of times ever since,every time telling me to try it myself.I don't know why I waited this long to try.It indeed is a keeper recipe.

I don't know how an authentic chole tastes,but this one is just like how it is served in restaurants with piping hot Bhatura.Dark brown chickpeas in a slightly tangy and thickish gravy goes perfectly well with roti or phulka as well.As H&A mentioned,it is a wonderful base for making some Aloo Tikki Chaat as well,hmmm.

Chole Masala

Ingredients

White chickpeas - 2 cups
Water - around 8-10 cups
Cardamom - 2 whole
Cinnamon stick - 1' piece
Bay leaf - 1
Tea bags - 2
Salt to taste

For the gravy

Oil - 2 tbsp
Hing/Asafetida - 1/8 tsp
Crushed tomatoes - 3-4 medium sized tomatoes pulsed in a mixie
Chole masala - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Dry Mango/amchoor powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the garnish

Coriander leaves
Onion rings and Green chilly chopped

Method

Soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or at least 6 hours.I discard the water used for soaking and use fresh water after rinsing the pulses.However,SMTC recipe says to cook the pulses in the water in which it was soaked.Use whichever method is convenient.
 
In a pressure cooker,add the soaked channa,enough water to cook it along with the bayleaf,cardamom,cinnamon and tea bags.Add salt to taste.
Cook at high pressure for 3-4 whistles and then simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
 
Open the cooker and drain the channa keeping the water aside,which would be used later in the gravy.Discard the tea bags.
 
In a thick bottomed kadai add oil and hing.Immediately add the crushed tomatoes and stir.Cover with a lid and cook the tomatoes for about 5-7 minutes or until oil starts appearing on the sides and the puree gets thick.
 
Mix in the dry spice powders - chole masala,red chilly powder,chaat masala,amchoor powder and stir well.
 
Now add the drained chole and mix well.Keep adding the reserved water little by little.Cover and cook.Repeat the process till all of the water is used up.Do not skimp on this step and be patient as the water is absorbed in low heat.This is what gives a rich,concentrated flavour to the dish.
 
Switch off the flame when the gravy is a bit thickish.The channa will keep absorbing it as it cools down.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and sliced green chilly and onions.

Off this goes to Siri who is hosting My legume love affair this month,an event conceptualized by Susan and taken forward by Lisa.

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Lobia Masala & Jeera Rice | Easy Lunch Recipes

Sunday mornings are typically lazy mornings at our place.I'd have decided on the breakfast and kept everything ready the previous night because by the time we finished reading our papers and had our morning tea,we'd be starving.It is mostly Masala Dosa or Puttu Kadala for breakfast so that we'd be full after the breakfast which would give me enough time to laze around before I even think about making lunch.
 
Last Sunday,we set about repotting our small balcony garden.Ok,Ajay did all the work while I sat on the swing giving my unwanted tips and ideas.
I'd already decided on the Lunch menu too the previous night and precooked the lobia and the masala,so making lunch was a breeze.I have never used Cowpeas/Lobia in a North Indian curry before,so when Bharathy posted it a while back,I was quite eager to try it out.Made a very simple Jeera rice to pair with it and the combo is an instant hit.

Lobia Masala/Black eyed Beans Curry
Recipe courtesy - Bharathy

Ingredients

Cowpeas/Lobia/Black eyed beans - 1 cup(I used white)

For the Masala

Oil - 2 tbsp
Onions - 2,sliced
Tomato - 2,sliced
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

For the gravy

Oil - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Lime Juice - 1 tsp

Method

 
Wash the cowpeas in running water and soak in enough water for 2-3 hours.Pressure cook till soft but not mushy.It took around 4-5 whistles in my pressure cooker.
 
For the masala - In a non stick kadai add oil and saute onions till they start changing in colour.Mix in the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes get cooked and become pulpy.
Switch off the flame and let it cool.Grind to a smooth paste adding very little water.
 
For the gravy - In the same kadai,add oil and saute the masala paste for 1-2 minutes.
Mix in the red chilly powder,haldi,pepper,garam masala and salt to taste.
 
With the back of a spoon,mash the cooked lobia slightly so that some get mashed and some retain the shape,this helps in thickening the gravy.
Add the cooked lobia along with a cup of water and let the gravy come to a boil.
 
Simmer for 4-5 minutes or till the curry thickens.
Add coriander leaves,lime juice and switch off the flame.

Jeera Rice
Recipe adapted from VahChef

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green chilly -1,sliced
Mint leaves - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water - 2 cups
Kesari colour - a pinch mixed in water

Method

Wash the basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear.Soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
 
In a pressure pan add oil/ghee and splutter jeera.
Mix in green chilly,mint and coriander.Add the rice and mix well.
Mix in water and salt to taste and cook exactly for 1 whistle.
 
Switch off flame and let the cooker come to room temperature.
Open the lid and pour the colour mixed in water.Close the lid and let it remain closed for 2-3 minutes.
Open and fluff with a fork.

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Kaya-Vanpayar Thoran ~ Raw Banana & Red Cowpea bean stir-fry

At times,I find cooking for two quite daunting.I mean,what do I do with that half beetroot,or carrot or kaya[raw banana] or chena[yam]?Most of the times,I refrigerate the leftover vegetables.Once I had grated a few carrots for something and kept aside two in the fridge and completely forgot about it.Few days later,as I was cleaning the fridge,I saw this strange looking thing and was about to scream when I took it in my hand when just in time I realized it was Carrot!Don't believe me,try it yourself!


So the first thing I decided to cook with the leftover red cowpea bean from Olan and half of the kaya from the Koottukari for Vishu was make this thoran.I remembered the recipe from an earlier issue of Vanitha and making a mental note about it.Glad it served its purpose today!!

Kaya Vanpayar Thoran - Raw Banana & Cowpea bean Stir-fry


Ingredients


Raw Banana/Pacha kaya - 1/2 of 1 big,sliced
Red cowpea beans/vanpayar - 3 tbsp,cooked
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste


For the Masala


Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Cumin/jeerakam - 1/4 tsp
Haldi - a pinch
Small/pearl onions - 3,chopped

Method


Wash the chopped banana under running water and cook in enough water till soft.
Cook the cowpea beans till soft.
Grind the ingredients for the masala coarsely.
In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds,saute the ground masala for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the cooked banana and cowpea beans and salt to taste and stir till everything gets mixed.
Drizzle a teaspoon of coconut oil on top[optional] and serve.

Off this goes to Kerala Kitchen

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Kadalaparippu Pradhaman ~ Vishu Special

When it comes to making payasam,I have no confusions at all.There are only few payasams which we both love and I usually do not deviate from the regulars.Ever since I started baking with confidence,poor payasams have taken a back seat.For every celebration in the family the star dessert items have been replaced by cakes and baked desserts.


But occasions like Vishu,demand to be traditional and I decided to put my baking prowess to rest and whip up a payasam.


Parippu pradhaman aka 'karutha payasam' as it is fondly called is a delicious combination of cooked dal,jaggery and coconut milk.It is interesting how these humble ingredients create a dish so delicious you'd be eating it out of your hands,literally!I usually make this with Moong dal,but this time tried with Channa dal.




Kadalaparippu Pradhaman ~ Channa dal payasam with Jaggery and Coconut Milk


Ingredients


Kadala parippu/Channa dal - ½ cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup thin coconut milk,(moonnam paal),¾ cup semi thick coconut milk(randaam paal),½ cup thick coconut milk(onnaam paal)
Jaggery - 1 big ball of jaggery around 225-250 gms-melt the jaggery in a little water and filter it(no need to make paani/syrup but it should be of semi-thick consistency)the said amount should make 1- 1¼ cup melted jaggery
Cashewnuts and thin coconut slices - for garnishing
Cardamom/Elaichi powder - 1 tbsp
Chukku/Dry Ginger powder - a pinch[optional]
Ghee - 2 tbsp


Method


In a kadai,dry roast the channa dal for few minutes without browning it.Wash well and pressure cook it till soft and mushy[about 5-7 whistles].Mash it well with the back of a spoon or a potato masher till it becomes smooth.


Take a thick bottomed kadai and put mashed channa dal and melted jaggery together.Keep on stirring till you get a brownish colour and semi thick consistency.(Keep on stirring to avoid the mix sticking to the bottom)--about 5-7 minutes.
Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix well.

Add the thin coconut milk and let the mix come to a boil,then simmer it--for 15-20 minutes.
When the mix becomes a little thick,add the semi thick coconut milk,stir well.Let it cook on low heat-till it becomes a bit more thicker--about 10 minutes.

Add the thick coconut milk at this stage,mix well.
Add cardamom powder,ginger powder and switch off the flame.
Prepare garnishing in another pan by frying cashewnuts and thin coconut slices in ghee.Add it to the payasam along with the ghee.


Notes

• Use of coconut milk - You can use freshly squeezed coconut milk as well as canned coconut milk for this recipe.I have used both and both taste equally good.If you are using freshly squeezed milk,milk of one big coconut will be enough.If using canned ones( I used dabur homemade tetra pack-200 ml pack),use 2 packs by keeping one intact and by diluting the other.
• Use brown/black jaggery to get a dark brown colour for the payasam.
• Adjust the heat of the gas accordingly,preferably keep on medium heat and keep stirring to avoid the payasam from sticking to the bottom.Better still,use a non-stick kadai.
• Parippu pradhaman gets thicker as it cools down,so don't panic if its still watery after you add the thick coconut milk.Also,switch off the gas immediately after you add the thick coconut milk to avoid curdling.
• If the payasam becomes too thick,add few tbsps of boiling water till it becomes a pouring consistency.

Wishing all of you who celebrate a Very Happy and Prosperous Vishu!!


Off this goes to Kerala Kitchen!

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Olan ~ Vishu Special

Any sadya is incomplete without Olan,so they say.I read somewhere that Olan is the 'soothradharan'* in a sadya,since there are so many dishes served in your plate/banana leaf it becomes impossible to taste each one individually without another taste masking the original.So before you taste any curry,have some Olan,which would clear the taste buds and you can taste the curry to its fullest,without any over powering taste of other dishes,isn't that cool?

I can not prove this though,since I made only Olan and not a sadya!


Olan can be made in many ways.Here,I have used Ash gourd and pumpkin with Red Cowpea beans.I have seen many versions which use ash gourd alone,or paired with pumpkin without the beans.

Olan


Ingredients


Ash gourd - 1 cup,thinly sliced
Pumpkin - 1/2 cup,thinly sliced
Green chilly - 1-2,slit lengthwise
Red cowpea beans - 3 tbsp
Coconut milk - 3/4 cup[1/4 cup thick coconut milk and 1/2 cup thin milk]
Salt to taste
Coconut oil - 1-2 tsp


Method


Cook the beans in a pressure cooker in enough water till tender,drain and keep aside.
Cook the ash gourd,pumpkins and green chillies in thin coconut milk adding enough water till the vegetables are soft.[do not add more water since ash gourd releases water as it cooks].
Mix in the cooked beans and salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
Simmer and add thick coconut milk.
Switch off the flame and add a tsp of coconut oil on top and crushed curry leaves.

How did we like it - Olan is a very mild curry which tastes best with a fiery thoran or mezhukkupuratti on the side.I made some hot potato roast and the combination was terrific!

*I have no clue how to translate soothradharan,probably the closest is - mastermind?

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen,an event hosted by Ria and Magpie.

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