A popular vegetarian delicacy in Kerala cuisine…
Ask any Keralite about Puttu and Kadala curry and they would instantly go Mmmmm. One of the most common and delicious breakfast dishes in Kerala is Puttu and Kadala or Chickpea curry. The traditional way of making kadala curry is by using black chickpeas, they have a more intense taste than white chickpea curry. However, in N.America white chickpeas are common than black ones. Uncooked black chickpeas are available at most of Indian stores, but I haven’t seen cooked canned black chickpeas. So, if you want to make a chickpea curry in a breeze you have to go with canned white chickpeas.
There is no question about the taste of any dish made with fresh ingredients. So, this time I didn’t even think of using canned chickpeas, instead used uncooked dried chickpeas. I cooked the chickpeas first in a pressure cooker till it’s almost cooked, then combined them with onion and the spices, and cooked for a few more minutes in the cooker. I love to add coconut milk to chickpea curry as it makes the curry creamy and delicious. Since the coconut milk would tone down the spice of this curry, you could increase the amount of chili powder accordingly.
Kadala curry or chickpea curry can be served with almost all Kerala dishes like puttu, appam, pathiri, chapati or even rice.
Do check out the recipe for making Chickpeas in roasted coconut gravy.
Kadala curry or Chickpea Curry
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
To grind:
- Ginger- 2-inch slice
- Garlic- 4 cloves
- Green chilies- 2
- White chickpeas, uncooked – 1 1/2 cups ( or use canned cooked chickpeas)
- Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
- Onions- 1
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
- Tomatoes, chopped-2
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tsp
- Coconut milk- 1/2 cup
- Salt- 1 1/4 tsp
- Cilantro, chopped- 1/4 cup
Instruction
- I used uncooked chickpeas so I had to cook them in a pressure cooker along with water till 3 whistles. If you want you could soak the chickpeas in water overnight and cook it in the cooker the next day. Don’t overcook the chickpeas. Drain the water and keep the cooked chickpeas aside.
- Or use canned cooked chickpeas.
- In a blender jar, grind the ginger/garlic and green chili to a coarse paste.
- Place a pressure cooker or a saucepan over medium heat, add oil.
- Add onions, 1/2 tsp salt and curry leaves, saute till onions turn translucent.
- Add the ground ginger/garlic/chili coarse paste to the cooked onions, saute for a few minutes till the raw smell goes away.
- Add the garam masala to the mixture, saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and let cook for a few minutes.
- Add the spices: chili powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and salt, combine well and cook for a minute.
- Add the cooked chickpeas along with 1/4 cup water and cook in the cooker till 1 whistle.
- If cooking in a saucepan, cook covered till the chickpeas have cooked well.
- Let the pressure in the cooker subside and open the cooker, place it over medium heat.
- Add the coconut milk, and combine well.
- Have a taste, add salt and more chili powder if needed.
- Add the chopped cilantro, combine well.
- Let the coconut milk come to a slight boil.
- Take the cooker or saucepan off the heat and keep covered for some time.
- Serve with puttu, chapati, appam or rice.
Tips:
- If the curry is too spicy, add more coconut milk to tone it down.
- Use black chickpeas instead of white chickpeas.
- Ginger- 2 inch
- Garlic- 4 cloves
- Green chili- 2
- White Chickpeas, uncooked - 1½ cups ( or use canned cooked chickpeas)
- Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
- Onions- 1
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Garam masala- ½ tsp
- Tomatoes, chopped-2
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Coriander powder- 1½ tsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tsp
- Coconut milk- ½ cup
- Salt- 1¼ tsp
- Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
- I used uncooked chickpeas so I had to cook them in a pressure cooker along with water till 3 whistles. If you want you could soak the chickpeas in water overnight and cook it in the cooker the next day. Don't over cook the chickpeas. Drain the water and keep the cooked chickpeas aside.
- Or use canned cooked chickpeas.
- In a blender, grind the ginger/garlic and green chilies to a coarse paste.
- Place a pressure cooker or a saucepan over medium heat, add oil.
- Add onions, ½ tsp salt and curry leaves, saute till onions turn translucent.
- Add the ground ginger/garlic/chili coarse paste to the cooked onions, saute for a few minutes till the raw smell goes away.
- Add the garam masala to the mixture, saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and let cook for a few minutes.
- Add the spices: chili powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and salt, combine well and cook for a minute.
- Add the cooked chick peas along with ¼ cup water and cook in the cooker till 1 whistle.
- If cooking in a saucepan, cook covered till chickpeas have cooked well.
- Let the pressure in the cooker subside and open the cooker, place it over medium heat.
- Add the coconut milk, combine well.
- Have a taste, add salt and more chili powder if needed.
- Add the chopped cilantro, combine well.
- Let the coconut milk come to a slight boil.
- Take the cooker or saucepan off the heat and keep covered for sometime.
- Serve with puttu,chapati,appam or rice.
Use black chickpeas instead of white chickpeas.
