Kadala Curry (a.k.a. Kadala Kari) is a delicious and flavorful curry made with black chickpeas, fresh coconut, onions, herbs and a bevy of warming spices. A unique and special curry from the Kerala cuisine.
Pressure cooking chickpeas: (Check notes on cooking chickpeas in a pot/pan)
First rinse and then soak the black chickpeas in 2 cups water for 8 to 9 hours or overnight. You can also use white chickpeas instead of black chickpeas.
Take the black chickpeas in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add fresh water and salt.
Stir and pressure cook the chickpeas for 9 to 10 whistles or till they are tender and cooked through on medium heat.
Preparing coconut paste
Meanwhile when the chickpeas are cooking, take the grated coconut in a grinder or blender jar. Add water and grind or blend to a smooth paste.
Keep the ground coconut paste aside.
Preparing kerala garam masala
In a small pan, dry roast the following spices till aromatic - fennel seeds, mace strands, cinnamon, cloves and grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder. Just a light roasting. Don't over do.
In a small grinder or coffee grinder or a mortar pestle, grind or pound these five spices to a semi fine or fine powder. Keep aside.
Making kadala curry
Heat coconut oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Add chopped shallots. Stir and saute for a minute.
Then add ginger, chopped green chilies, curry leaves and saute till the shallots turn translucent or a light brown.
Then add red chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder and the ground kerala garam masala. If you already have kerala garam masala, then just add 1 teaspoon of it. Note that 1 teaspoon of red chili powder, makes this curry spicy. So reduce to ½ teaspoon for a less spicy curry.
Stir the ground spices very well and saute for a minute on low heat.
Then add the ground coconut paste.
Stir and mix very well.
Saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a low heat.
Then add the cooked black chickpeas or kadala. Stir very well.
Then add 1 to 1.25 cups water or according to the consistency you prefer. Again stir and mix very well.
Season with the required amount of salt and stir kadala curry again.
Let the curry come to a boil on medium heat and the gravy reduces a bit. The flavors and chickpeas should also be well blended. When the curry is done and cooked well, you will see some oil specks on the top layer of the curry.
Serve Kadala Curry hot with puttu or appams or steamed rice. While serving, you can garnish with some chopped coriander leaves if you like.