Kadala Curry with Appam (4th recipe)

Appam & Kadala  Curry

Kadala  Curry ( made of lightly dry roasted coconut paste, Indian spices, shallots and potatoes. Best combination with Rotis / Pulao / Ghee Rice / Appam / Brown bread ....).

Here's the recipe Appam

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For kadala (chickpeas):

Please use same measuring cup to measure kadala & water.

1 cup / 200 ml kadala / black chana (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

3 cups water

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and soak kadala in 3 cups of water for 6 – 7 hours or overnight. In a pressure cooker, add soaked  kadala (along with its soaked water, final water level should be 1 – inch above the level of soaked kadala), turmeric powder and salt and pressure cook for 25 minutes until done and soft (reduce the heat on high after 3 quick whistle and cook on medium heat for 20 - 23 minutes. Switch off the heat. Allow the cooker to cool naturally). Reserve ½ cup cooked chana water / stock.

For the coconut paste:

7 tablespoons (100 g / ½ cup) grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

2 tablespoons water

Method

In an iron kadai / frying pan, dry roast grated coconut till light brown and fragrant on a low to medium heat. Add peppercorns and dry roast again on a low heat for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat. Finally mix with red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir all the ingredients well and make a smooth paste in a mixer with 2 tablespoons water and keep aside.

 Final preparation:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

10 shallots / chuvannulli or 1 onion, finely sliced

6 spring curry leaves

Boiled kadala

Salt to taste

Coconut paste

Extra ¼ cup / 50 ml water

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced shallots / small onions / onions and fry on a low to medium heat until golden color.

Add curry leaves and saute well.

Add boiled kadala, reserved kadala stock (or fresh water 100 ml / ½ cup) and adjust salt to taste (if required). Cover with a lid and boil for 6 – 8 minutes. When it starts boiling nicely, add coconut paste. Adjust with 1/4 cup water (50 ml) if required. Coconut gravy should be of pouring consistency / medium thick.  If won’t  be tasty if the gravy is too thin. Be careful when adding water.  Mix all the ingredients well. Do not boil on high heat.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 7 minutes.  Serve this tasty curry with Rice / Rotis / Appam / Idiyappam / Brown breads ....