The Big Sweet Tooth: Kerala Kadala Curry/ Black Chana Curry

The calm...

I am surprised that me being a climate person, how come I never wrote about it for quite some time now? :) March and April are the best time to be in the UAE, as the climate gets stable with bouts of lovely breeze, plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies. However, this month it has been quite topsy-turvy. Last week, we had a couple of hard sandstorms, which was then followed by a surprise hail storm and heavy rain, which lasted a total of 15 minutes, but managed to create a havoc on the roads! As of now, the mornings and nights are cool while the rest of the day is pretty warm, thereby being an excellent breeding situation for flus and infection. There is hardly anybody who has not been touched by some or the other illness. Expecting things to get better before the summer is going to hit in full force...

There will be no Malayalee who hasn't had kadala Curry to go with their puttu. In fact, it is one of best combination, just like how the cherupayar curry goes with it. I love to soak my puttu so much in it that I literally have a wet mass in my plate! With minimum effort, and thanks to the pressure cooker, making the curry is also a breeze. Off to the way that I love to make it...

Kerala Kadala Curry/ Black Chana Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 cup black chana peas, soaked overnight

2 meduim onions, sliced

1 meduim tomato, chopped

3 green chillies, slit

1 tsp ginger paste

2 tbsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup of water

Salt to taste

For tempering:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 dry red chilli

2 sprigs of curry leaves

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add all ingredients from black chana peas to salt and give it a good stir to ensure that the ingredients have mixed well. The water should just cover the top of the curry mix. Pressure cook it for three whistles, lower the flame and leave it for 10 minutes. Switch off and allow the pressure to go by itself.

Open the lid and give it a stir. For tempering, heat oil in a small saucepan. Splutter the mustard seeds, then fry the dry chilli and curry leaves. Quickly pour into the curry and close the lid. Keep as is for 5 to 10 minutes for the flavors to soak in. Before serve, give a quick mix. Serve warm with puttu. The curry tastes equally good with rice as well.