Kadala Pachakkaya Kootu Curry

Kadala Pachakaya Kootu Curry

A tasty curry with rice in Kerala cuisine, made of raw banana, black channa, coconut paste and seasoning. Recipe form Vanitha magazine August 15 – 31, 2010 !!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For kadala:

1 cup / 100 g (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity) black channa (kadala)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ - inch piece ginger, chopped

2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

Wash and soak kadala in 2 cups water for 6 hours or overnight and pressure cook with (along with its soaked water) turmeric powder, ginger and green chillies. Water level should be 1 – inch above soaked channa. Pressure cook for 25 minutes until done and soft (reduce the heat from high after 3 whistles (3 quick whistles) and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes). Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Remove green chillies from cooked kadala. Reserve half cup stock.

For coconut paste:

5 tablespoon (50 – 60 g) grated coconut (extra 1 tablespoon final seasoning)

5 shallots (chuvannulli / sambar onion / small onion), chopped

1 pinch jeera (cumin seeds)

4 dried chillies or ½ teaspoon red chilli powder

2 tablespoon water

Make a fine paste of above ingredients in a small mixer bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon water when making the paste.

Other ingredients

1 raw banana, gently peel off the skin and cut into cubes

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

75 -100 ml / ½ cup water

Method

In a bowl, mix boiled channa (along with stock) , cubed raw banana and salt. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes or until done / banana cubes well cooked.

At this stage, add coconut paste and adjust with extra ½ cup (75 – 100 ml) water. Gravy should not be too thin. It should be medium thick in consistency / pouring consistency. Cover again and cook on a low heat for 7 minutes. Switch off the heat.

For seasoning:

1 st seasoning:

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

6 curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves and fry till crisp. Pour the seasoning over curry.

2 nd seasoning;

2 teaspoon oil

1 tablespoon grated coconut

Heat oil in a pan and gently dry roast grated coconut until golden color. Pour this coconut seasoning over kootu curry. Serve with rice.