Kadala Curryകടല കറി

Name: Kadala Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Kerala
Ingredients: 1.5 cups, soaked overnight Dried black chickpeas (kadala / kala chana); 2 tbsp Coconut oil; 2 medium Onion, thinly sliced; 2 medium Tomato, roughly chopped; 1.5 tsp Ginger-garlic paste; 2 Green chili, slit lengthwise; 2 tsp Coriander powder; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder; 0.25 tsp Turmeric; 0.5 tsp Garam masala; 0.5 cup (or 3 tbsp desiccated coconut) Fresh coconut, grated; 12 leaves (2 sprigs) Curry leaves; 0.5 tsp Mustard seeds; 2 Dried red chili; to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 45m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegan

Video: HomeCookingShow (YouTube)

Kadala curry is the quintessential morning curry of Kerala, ladled warm alongside steamed puttu cylinders or soft-lacy appam. Black chickpeas — kala chana dried and rehydrated overnight — deliver an earthy, meaty depth that no other legume quite matches. In Malabar households, the curry arrives thick and dark-spiced, roasted coconut smoothing its edges. It is one of those dishes that feels like it has been cooking since the night before, because it has.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

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Ingredients

▪Dried black chickpeas (kadala / kala chana)1.5 cups, soaked overnight
▪Coconut oil2 tbsp
▪Onion, thinly sliced2 medium
▪Tomato, roughly chopped2 medium
▪Ginger-garlic paste1.5 tsp
▪Green chili, slit lengthwise2
▪Coriander powder2 tsp
▪Kashmiri red chili powder1 tsp
▪Turmeric0.25 tsp
▪Garam masala0.5 tsp
▪Fresh coconut, grated0.5 cup (or 3 tbsp desiccated coconut)
▪Curry leaves12 leaves (2 sprigs)
▪Mustard seeds0.5 tsp
▪Dried red chili2
▪Saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Canned black chickpeas (drained and rinsed) work when dried are unavailable — skip soaking and pressure-cooking; add them directly at step 6 and simmer 10 minutes.
Fresh coconut is hard to source outside South Asia. Desiccated coconut soaked in warm water for 10 minutes substitutes well; alternatively, stir in 4 tbsp canned coconut milk at the end of step 6 instead of making a paste.
Curry leaves are stocked fresh or frozen at most South Asian grocery stores in diaspora cities. Frozen leaves go straight into the hot oil — no need to thaw.

Method

1Soak dried black chickpeas in cold water overnight (at least 8 hours). Drain, place in a pressure cooker with 3 cups water and 0.5 tsp salt, and cook on medium heat for 5-6 whistles until tender but holding their shape. Reserve the cooking liquid.
2Dry-roast the grated coconut in a small pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden-brown and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Blend into a fine paste with 3 tbsp water; set aside.
3Heat coconut oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds; once they splutter, add dried red chilies and curry leaves and let crackle for 30 seconds.
4Add sliced onions and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until deep golden-brown, 15-18 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies; sauté 2 minutes until the raw smell is gone.
5Stir in chopped tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Cook until the tomatoes collapse and oil surfaces, about 8 minutes.
6Add the cooked chickpeas and enough reserved cooking liquid to form a semi-thick gravy. Stir in the roasted coconut paste. Simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 12-15 minutes until the gravy deepens and coats the chickpeas.
7Stir in garam masala, adjust salt, and cook 2 more minutes. Serve hot with puttu, appam, or steamed rice.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.