Kerala Style Vella Kadala Curry
Vella Kadala Curry stands out as one of the healthiest dishes, requiring minimal oil with no individual ingredient sautéing or additional masala powders. I opted for pure coconut oil solely for seasoning, as it imparts essential flavors to the dish. Feel free to use any oil of your choice. It's crucial to maintain a thin and flowing consistency, especially when pairing it with Puttu. Since Puttu is a dry dish, side dishes should have a watery consistency. If the curry turns out too thin, there's a simple fix. Mash a few cooked chickpeas in a mixer and add them to the curry for the desired thickness. Chickpeas are not only healthy but also nutritious, being rich in protein and essential nutrients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vella Kadala (White Chana/Dried Chickpeas)
- 3 medium Onion (chopped)
- 2.5 tsp Chopped ginger & garlic (each)
- 2.5 tsp Chilli powder
- 2.5 – 3 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala
- 1/4 tsp Fennel powder
- 1 cup thin coconut milk (optional, refer notes)
- Salt
To temper
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 5-6 Small onion/ Shallots (sliced)
- Curry leaves
- Coconut oil
Instructions
- Soak 1 cup kadala overnight. Drain the water and rinse the kadala 2-3 times. Pressure cook Kadala with 2.5- 3cups water and salt. I cook it for 8-10 whistles on, high flame. Switch off the gas and let the pressure drop completely, around 15 mins.
- Open the cooker and separate the Kadala and stock (cooking water). Take 1/4 cup of cooked kadala and add 2-3 tbsp of stock and mash it well. Keep this aside.
- Grind together ingredients from chopped ginger & garlic – fennel powder (ginger, garlic, chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala & fennel powder) with 3 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a deep and wide pan. Add chopped onion. When onion becomes brown, add ground paste. Cook for 2-3 mins. Add 2-3 tbsp of retained stock and mix well. Add mashed kadala and mix well. Add stock and bring it to a boil. Add rest of the cooked kadala and mix well. Reduce flame to lowest and cover & cook for 7-8 mins.
- Add 1 cup of thin coconut milk (if using) or water. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5-7 mins. Check salt and add more, if required.
- In a small pan, heat oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion and curry leaves. Cook till the onion browns. Add this to the Kadala curry.
- Let the curry rests for 20-25 mins, before serving. The gravy tends to thicken as it rests, so adjust the consistency accordingly.
- Serve with Puttu, Appam, Chapati, Dosa etc.
Notes
If you want, you can skip the coconut milk, just add water instead and follow the recipe. The curry keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 175mgPotassium: 640mgFiber: 12gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!