Kadala curry
One of the most popular dishes down south, kadala curry is an amazingly flavourful curry that’s made with black chickpeas, freshly grated coconut, and spices like mace, cinnamon, fennel seeds, nutmeg, etc. It tastes so heavenly that it has become quite common in other parts of the country as well and is now as popular as other curries like
egg curry,
omelette curry,
Bengali chicken curry, etc.
And when it comes to chana-based dishes like
chana chat and
chana masala, kadala curry steals the show! Best enjoyed with accompaniments like dosa, steamed rice, or puttu kadala curry is rich, earthy, warm, and very comforting, especially on a cold and rainy day
What are the health benefits of kadala curry?
Kadala curry not only has a delectable unique flavour, but is also pretty healthy. It contains essential nutrients like vitamin B1 & C, calcium, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. that help in preventing several diseases and disorders. Here are some great health benefits of kadala curry:
Kala chana, the main ingredient of Kadala curry is an excellent source of proteins. This helps in building your bones and muscles, repairing injured tissues, and keeps your organs functioning optimally.
The high levels of proteins and fibres in kala chana helps in keeping you full for hours. This avoids binge eating and helps in weight loss.
Herbs and spices like cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, cloves, garlic, etc. used in kadala curry recipes help in building your immunity and fighting infections. They also contain antioxidants that help in preventing free radicals and certain types of cancers. They also help in improving your cognitive functioning and preventing the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.
These herbs used in kadala curry recipes also help in keeping your digestive organs healthy and prevent constipation, flatulence, etc.
Coconut in kadala curry is an excellent source of fibre and has high levels of lauric acid. These help in regulating your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Coconut helps in preventing infections and disorders of the kidney and the bladder.
Coconut helps in preventing the risk of thyroid disorders and keeps the thyroid gland functioning optimally.
Onions and tomatoes in kadala curry are a great source of vitamin C. They help in building your immune system, lowering blood pressure, and preventing the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. This also keeps your skin healthy and prevents signs of premature ageing like wrinkles, pigmentation, age spots, etc.
When eaten with puttu kadala curry benefits increase manifolds. It becomes a source of carbohydrates that help give you the energy to function and helps prevent heart diseases, high cholesterol, etc.
What are some tips for making the best kadala curry every time?
Before we share some simple kadala curry recipes, here are some tips for making the best-tasting curry every time you make it:
Since it is not only served with coconut-based puttu kadala curry also contains grated coconut and is made in coconut oil too. If the coconut flavour gets too overwhelming, you can use any vegetable oil in your kadala curry recipe.
When serving with puttu kadala curry is generally watery and thin. But if you want the gravy to be thicker, you can add some mashed chickpeas or potatoes.
You can add vegetables like capsicum and carrots to make your kadala curry more nutritious.
In case you don’t have time to soak the chickpeas overnight, you can soak them in hot water 2-3 hours before cooking.
Which are some of the best kadala curry recipes that you can try at home?
Here are some easy kadala curry recipes for you to try at home and enjoy its delightful coconutty aroma and taste:
Classic kadala curry: This is the all-time-favourite classic kadala curry that gets made within an hour.
Pressure cook overnight soaked kala chana with a little salt.
In a mixer, grind fresh coconut slices, chopped onions & tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and water to make a thick paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle.
Add curry leaves and saute for a few minutes.
Add the coconut paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and coriander powder, and saute well.
Once this gets cooked, add the water in which the kala chana was boiled.
Add kala chana once this water starts boiling.
Add garam masala and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with grated coconut.
Roasted coconut kadala curry: This kadala curry recipe has an amazing toasty coconut flavour and is pretty easy to make too.
For roasting the coconut, heat oil in a pan and add grated coconut along with chopped onions, garlic, green chillies, and curry leaves. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Once these are cooked and cooled, grind this into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
For the curry, add the roasted coconut paste to a pan with a little water and cook on a low flame till it boils.
Add ground and roasted fennel seeds to this.
Add a tempering of roasted coconut pieces, crackled mustard seeds, roasted curry leaves, dry red chillies, and garam masala to the curry mix and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Served garnished with slivers of roasted coconut and puttu kadala curry tastes delicious.
Palakkad-style kadala curry: This kadala curry recipe belongs to the city of Palakkad in Kerala and includes potatoes to give it a more hearty taste.
Pressure to cook potatoes and kala chana.
In a pan, heat oil and add grated coconut. Fry till it changes colour.
Add fennel seeds, coriander powder, chilli powder, and garam masala and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Let it cool and grind into a smooth paste with a little water.
In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
Add chopped onions & tomatoes, grated ginger, turmeric powder, and fry till the onions turn brown and tomatoes are soft.
Pour the coconut paste into this and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the boiled and cubed potatoes, kala chana, and salt.
Simmer for a few minutes and serve hot.
If you don’t have puttu kadala curry can be served with dosa or paratha.