Kumbakonam Kadappa

Kumbakonam Kadappa  - A tasty & less spicy side curry with Idli / Dosa / Chapatis / Parotta. A popular dish in Tamil Nadu cuisine, made of moong dal, potatoes, coconut paste and lime juice !!

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For the coconut paste:

5 cashew nuts (soak cashew nuts in 2 tablespoon water for one hour)

5 tablespoon grated coconut

1 tablespoon pottu kadala (split roasted gram dal)

6 cloves garlic, chopped

4 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoon water

Make a smooth of above ingredients ( along with cashew nut soaked water) in a small mixer bowl. (Adding cashew nuts will make a creamy and thick curry). Keep aside.

For moong dal and potatoes:

Ingredients

1/3 / 80 ml moong dal  (Indian standard measuring of 1/3 / 80 ml / 6 oz capacity) or 1 cup left over cooked moong dal

1 ½ cup / 250 ml water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 potatoes

Method

Wash and clean moong dal and potatoes. Gently peel off the skin of the potatoes and pressure cook along with moong dal. In a pressure cooker, boil moong dal, potatoes, turmeric powder and 1 ½ cup water for 15 minutes. Pressure cook on high heat for 3 quick whistles,  reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Open the lid and gently mash potatoes and dal with the base of a steel ladle.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil / ghee

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Boiled moong dal

Boiled and mashed potatoes

Extra 1/2 cup water

¾ teaspoon salt  (or to taste)

Coconut – cashew paste

2 teaspoon lime juice

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

In a pan or wide  karahi, heat oil or ghee on a medium heat. Add cloves and cinnamon. Fry on a low heat until fragrant.

Add chopped onion and fry until light golden color. Add garlic and fry for 3 – 4 minutes until fragrant.

Add turmeric powder and stir on a low heat  for 1 minute until well combined with onion and garlic.

Add boiled moong dal and potatoes. If it's thick mixture, adjust with ½ cup water (100 ml) and salt to taste. Gravy should be medium thick in consistency (like kurma).  Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes.

Now add coconut – cashew paste. Mix well. Cover again and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes / until boiles. Switch off the heat and sprinkle lime juice. Decorate with chopped coriander leaves. Serve as a side curry or main curry with dosa / idli / poori / chapatti / parota …