Nadan kadala curry

Nadan kadala curry is an quintessential Kerala style dish prepared with black peas cooked in a rich coconut gravy. It is a popular dish and is best served with puttu. Nadan kadala curry can also be had as a side dish with appam, dosa, idiyappam or string hoppers, paratha and boiled red rice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown chick pea (kadala/chana)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

for tempering :

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots/pearl onion
• 1 strand curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies

Method

• Soak chick pea overnight or for 5-6 hours. Pressure cook for 4 – 5 whistles or until soft with a little salt and just enough water.
• Grind coconut and 3 pods of garlic into a smooth paste by adding 2 tbsp water. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add ginger garlic paste and chopped onion sauté until the onion turn light brown. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and fry for few seconds on a low flame.
• Next add chopped tomatoes sauté for few seconds. Further add cooked chana or kadala along with the water. Take a ladle of cooked chana, grind it to a coarse paste and add it to the gravy to get a thick consistency. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
• For tempering, Heat oil in a separate pan, splutter mustard seeds, and fry shallots until golden brown. Also add curry leaves and dry red chilies. Pour it over the curry.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with puttu or chapati