Name: Kerala Kadala Curry recipe by Anjana Rao at BetterButter
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 1 cup chickpeas of your choice (black, green, white); 5 -6 pearl onions/shallots; 1.5 tsp red chilli powder (add more if you like it hot); 1/4th tsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp mustard seeds; 1/2 tsp fennel seeds; 1.5 tsp garam masala; Handful of curry leaves; 1 tbsp coconut oil; Coconut Paste Ingredients:; 3/4th cup grated coconut; 1/2 tsp fennel seeds; 1.5 tsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

ABOUT Kerala Kadala Curry RECIPE

Kadala Curry is a very popular traditional breakfast dish from Kerala. It is prepared using black chickpeas/garbanzo beans and is cooked in a spicy coconut based gravy. It is served traditionally with puttu or idiyapamm. I had kadala curry for the firsttime during my holiday in Kerala since then I’ve been hooked to it. The recipe which I am sharing here was shared to me by an ex colleague, who would always bring kadala curry and puttu in her lunch box. The variation I made to the original recipe is to use green chickpeas and skipped adding the tomatoes since my husband is not very fond of gravies that are sour but if you like it sour go ahead and add tomatoes.

Ingredients Serving: 3

1 cup chickpeas of your choice (black, green, white)
5 -6 pearl onions/shallots
1.5 tsp red chilli powder (add more if you like it hot)
1/4th tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1.5 tsp garam masala
Handful of curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
Coconut Paste Ingredients:
3/4th cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1.5 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

Soak the chickpeas overnight and then boil them in a pressure cooker with little salt. Let two whistles blow, then keep the flame low and cook it further for 10 to 12 minutes.
Make a very smooth paste of the grated coconut, coriander powder, fennel seeds and black peppercorns with little water.
Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add in mustard seeds, fennel seeds and dried red chillies, once they splutter throw in some curry leaves.
Now saute the pearl onions/shallots until they are translucent. Add turmeric and red chilli powder. Cook for 1 minute.
Now tip in the boiled chickpeas with the water, ground coconut paste and salt. Cook for a few minutes on a medium heat until everything comes together. To finish it, add garam masala and cook it for 1 more minute.
Add more water if the gravy is thick. The gravy should be little watery as the puttu will absorb the gravy making each and every morsel flavorful.

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