Kadala Curry | Varutharacha Kadala Curry | Kerala Style Kadala Curry

Puttu and Kadala is a Sunday staple at home.I have posted a few kadala curry recipes here already but off late,this is the recipe I follow as it gives a great result and is quick as well.I personally feel kadala curry tastes best when it made with roasted coconut and spices.This gives it a great texture and no doubt,tastes great too.Pairs really well with Puttu,Appam and Idiyappam.

Somehow varutharacha curry sounds difficult and time consuming for many.Believe me,it isn't.Even though the original version requires roasting of coconut along with red chillies and coriander,here we take a small detour by roasting coconut and then adding spice powders which quickens the process without compromising on the taste one bit,that's win-win right?

Varutharacha Kadala Curry

Ingredients

Brown Channa/Kadala/Chickpeas - 1 cup,washed well and soaked for 8-10 hours and then drained

Salt to taste

For roasting

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Shallots - 4-5,sliced

Garlic - 1 clove

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Pepper - 1/4 tsp,crushed

Turmeric powder/Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

For Tadka

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Shallots - 3-4,sliced

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Red chillies - 2-3,broken

Method

Pressure cook the channa/kadala adding enough water for 10-15 minutes or until well cooked.Add salt to taste and keep aside.

In a thick bottom pan(I use cast iron) add the ingredients for roasting - coconut,shallots,garlic,curry leaves and crushed pepper.

Saute on medium flame till everything heats up.Lower the flame and roast the ingredients till the coconut starts changing colour to a golden brown.

Once the coconut is evenly browned add in the masala powders - haldi,garam masala,chilly and coriander powder.Saute on low flame for a minute or two until the raw smell of the masala leaves.

Switch off the flame and let it cool down a little.

Grind to a smooth paste in the mixie-first grind without adding water.Once everything is powdered add enough water and grind to a smooth paste.

Into a pan add coconut oil and give tadka with mustard seeds,curry leaves,red chillies and shallots.Once the shallots starts changing colour add the ground paste and give it a boil.

Mix in the cooked channa along with the water and let it come to a boil.Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve hot with Puttu:)

Step by Step Pictorial

Pressure cook the channa/kadala adding enough water for 10-15 minutes or until well cooked.Add salt to taste and keep aside.

In a thick bottom pan(I use cast iron) add the ingredients for roasting - coconut,shallots,garlic,curry leaves and crushed pepper.

Saute on medium flame till everything heats up.Lower the flame and roast the ingredients till the coconut starts changing colour to a golden brown.

Once the coconut is evenly browned add in the masala powders - haldi,garam masala,chilly and coriander powder.Saute on low flame for a minute or two until the raw smell of the masala leaves.

Switch off the flame and let it cool down a little.

Grind to a smooth paste in the mixie-first grind without adding water.Once everything is powdered add enough water and grind to a smooth paste.

Into a pan add coconut oil and give tadka with mustard seeds,curry leaves,red chillies and shallots.Once the shallots starts changing colour add the ground paste and give it a boil.

Mix in the cooked channa along with the water and let it come to a boil.Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve hot with Puttu:)

The consistency of the gravy depends on how much water we add.When serving with Puttu I make it slightly of thin consistency whereas while serving with appam,I make it slightly thickish.

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Kadala Curry for Puttu | Simple Kadala Curry without Coconut

When Puttu makes an appearance,how can Kadala curry fall behind:).I have a couple of Kadala curry recipes here but this one is a bit different as in,it is not the so called 'authentic' way of preparing the same.I was so used to having Brown Kadala curry with Puttu that I was slightly amused when Ajay's mom prepared this curry.She makes this recipe for mainly two reasons,one Kabuli channa cooks quickly and two,this one is much lighter on the stomach as it does not have coconut.It pairs up beautifully with Puttu.

You can of course substitute this with brown channa if that's what you prefer.When I posted a picture of this curry on Instagram,someone commented that Puttu would taste great with Brown kadala curry and not this one.Every one's taste palette is different from one another right?What tastes delicious for one may not be the same for someone else.Anyway,I would taste something first before deciding if it is delicious to me or not!Authentic or otherwise.

So without any further ado,let's see how to prepare this super simple but equally delicious kadala curry which tastes awesome with Puttu.

Kadala Curry for Puttu | Simple Kadala Curry without Coconut

Ingredients

White Channa/Kabuli Channa - 1 cup,washed and soaked for 10 hours
Onion - 1 small,chopped
Potato - 1 medium,chopped
Salt to taste

Coconut oil(or any oil of your choice)- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Shallots/Pearl onions - 1/2 cup,chopped(you could use regular onions too)
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1/2 of 1 medium tomato,chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup,chopped
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp(optional)

Method

In a pressure cooker,add the soaked and drained channa.Add enough water,salt to taste and mix in onion and potato.
Pressure cook for 20 minutes or until well cooked.Slightly mash the potatoes and a small portion of the cooked channa-this would make the gravy a bit thick.
In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add curry leaves and onions and saute for a few minutes.
Once the onions turn light brown add in the spice powders.Saute on low flame till the raw smell of the powders leave.
Add the tomatoes and mix well.Add a bit of the cooked channa water and cover and cook till the tomatoes turn pulpy.
Now add the cooked channa and mix well.Once the curry starts boiling,simmer and coo for 10-15 minutes.
Add coriander leaves and garam masala and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with Puttu.

Step by step Pictorial

In a pressure cooker,add the soaked and drained channa.Add enough water,salt to taste and mix in onion and potato.

Pressure cook for 20 minutes or until well cooked.

Slightly mash the potatoes and a small portion of the cooked channa-this would make the gravy a bit thick.

In a kadai add oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add curry leaves and 

onions and saute for a few minutes.

Once the onions turn light brown add in the spice powders.Saute on low flame till the raw smell of the powders leave.

Add the tomatoes and mix well.

Add a bit of the cooked channa water and cover and cook 

till the tomatoes turn pulpy.

Now add the cooked channa and mix well.Once the curry starts boiling,simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Add coriander leaves and 

garam masala and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with Puttu.

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Sambar Sadam | South Indian Sambar Rice

When I first heard about Sambar Sadam,I thought it was just rice mixed with sambar.How wrong I was! It is anything but that.Having got introduced to the dish after coming to Chennai,I did not actually taste it myself for a long long time for the same reason.I mean,just sambar mixed with rice,why were people raving about it is what I felt like.

During our train trips,Ajay used to get Curd rice and Sambar rice from Saravana Bhavan and used to relish it while I stuck to my staple Chapathi.Once when I just couldn't understand what the hoopla was,I decided to try it myself.One spoon and,though I hated to admit it,I was sold.A wonderful mix of flavors combined with the goodness of vegetables,rice and dal this was one wholesome meal in itself.

It took a longer time for me to actually try this dish at home.Just like my earlier assumption,I made sambar sadam using my go-to sambar powder and it was not the outcome I was expecting for.Once,during my casual conversation with Selvi,my house help,she offered to make it for me.It was one of the best Sambar sadam I'd tasted,even better than those I'd had at the restaurants.The best part was,it was so easy to make.No complicated ingredients and made in a pressure cooker,how cool was that!

Since then,this is my go-to dish whenever I'm feeling too lazy to cook(which is quite often,I may add)Paired with a small bowl of curd rice(a must!)some poriyal(optional)and some chips(again,a must!)this meal looks like you took a lot of effort.Delicious,wholesome and oh-so satisfying.

Sambar Sadam

Ingredients(quantity serves 4)

Raw rice - 1/2 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
Small onions/shallots - 10-12,halved
Tomato - 1,chopped
Beans - 6-8,sliced 
Pumpkin - about half cup,chopped
Carrot - 1 big,chopped
Capsicum - about half cup,chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnish
Ghee - 3 -4 tsp

Method

Wash the rice and dal well and soak in enough water for about half an hour.
Soak the tamarind in warm water.
In a pressure pan add oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add onions,curry leaves and saute for a minute.
Add the tomato and mix well and add the spice powders - red chilly,coriander and haldi.
Now add the vegetables and the soaked rice and dal(drain before adding),salt to taste and give a good mix.
Squeeze the tamarind and pour in the pulp.Add about 5 times water(1:5 rice to water ratio) check the seasonings and salt by tasting the water.
Close the cooker with the lid and cook on high for 1 whistle.Simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
Once the pressure settles down,open the cooker and check whether everything is cooked well.{Do not worry if it is watery,it solidifies on cooling.If you feel it is dry,you can add some hot water and adjust the consistency}
Add capsicum,coriander leaves and ghee and let it cook on the smallest flame for about 5 minutes.Switch off the flame and keep it closed for the flavors to infuse.Serve warm.

Step by step Pictorial

Wash the rice and dal well and soak in enough water for about half an hour.
Soak the tamarind in warm water.

In a pressure pan add oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add onions,curry leaves and saute for a minute.

Add the tomato and mix well and add the spice powders - red chilly,coriander and haldi.

Now add the vegetables and the soaked rice and dal(drain before adding),salt to taste and give a good mix.
Squeeze the tamarind and pour in the pulp.Add about 5 times water(1:5 rice to water ratio) check the seasonings and salt by tasting the water.
Close the cooker with the lid and cook on high for 1 whistle.Simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

Once the pressure settles down,open the cooker and check whether everything is cooked well.{Do not worry if it is watery,it solidifies on cooling.If you feel it is dry,you can add some hot water and adjust the consistency}
Add capsicum,coriander leaves and ghee and let it cook on the smallest flame for about 5 minutes.Switch off the flame and keep it closed for the flavors to infuse.Serve warm.

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Bell Pepper Calzones

I love watching cooking videos on the net.I have some favorites and I keep watching it again and again so much so that the recipe and even the background music is imprinted in my mind.Saee's cooking videos are a beauty by itself.Irrespective of whether you try the recipe or not,I can assure you'll fall in love with it,for sure.

I don't know how many times I've watched her bread video.I keep looking for a difficult step somewhere,I mean there has to be right?How can someone make bread baking look so easy?After baking with yeast for a while now,I am a little bit more confident than I was before when I attempt a recipe.

Yeastspotted
When I saw her Calzones video,I knew right there that this was one recipe I could see myself baking again and again.Ajay is a total savories person and he is only too happy that I am trying out savory bakes he could gorge on and this one was a sure shot winner.Crunchy bell peppers with a slight tang from the tomatoes along with cheese,I am in love with this one!

Bell Pepper Calzones
Recipe source - Saee's My Jhola

Ingredients

Instant Dry Yeast - 1 1/2 tbsp (I used Mauripan)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Warm water - 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup
All purpose flour/maida - 3 cups
Salt - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the filling

Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 2,minced
Onion - 1 big,finely chopped
Tomatoes - 3 medium,finely chopped
Bell peppers - 3,1 each of red,green and yellow-cubed
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Dried Basil - 1/2 tsp
Mozzarella cheese - 100 gms,grated
Egg - 1,beaten(optional)

Method

 
Mix together warm water,yeast and sugar in a bowl.Let it rest for 2-3 minutes till frothy.
 
In a big mixing bowl add flour and mix in salt.Pour the yeast mixture and start kneading the dough.Add more lukewarm water as required till you get a smooth dough.
 
Mix in the oil.
 
As an additional step,I kneaded the dough for around 5 minutes on my counter top till the dough was smooth and shiny,but this step is optional.
Smear some oil on the bowl in which the dough was mixed and place the dough in it to rise.It took an hour in my kitchen for the dough to rise double its size.

Make the filling

 
In a kadai add oil and saute the minced garlic and onions till golden brown.
 
Mix in the chopped tomatoes followed by the bell peppers.
Add red chilly powder,salt and tomato ketchup and saute for 2-3 minutes.
 
Mix in the dried basil and switch off the flame.

 
Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions.Flour the counter top and roll the dough into a round shape approximately 7-8' diameter.
 
Place the filling-about 2 tbsp and top with the grated cheese and fold over.
Seal the edges using a fork.Brush the top of the calzones with the beaten egg,if using.
 
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 200C for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

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