DISH NAME : KADALA CURRY (WHOLE BENGAL GRAM CURRY)

Preparation Time : soaking-8 hours.+ 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 1 hour

Description

Steamed rice cake, known as 'puttu' in Malayalam is a traditional and common breakfast dish. The combination with puttu is usually bananas or bengal gram or green gram curry.
Bengal gram is also known as black chickpeas. It is brown in color and comes in 2 sizes. It is low in fat and high in fibre and protein.

Note

1) Bengal gram should be soaked overnight to cook properly. If not soaked overnight, then soak them in boiling hot water for about an hour or two. In that case you may have to increase cooking time for 10 to 15 minutes.

Method

1) Wash and soak bengal gram overnight.
2) Pressure cook the gram with turmeric and salt for about 35 to 40 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle or cook for 12 to 14 whistle.
3) Dry roast grated coconut on a low flame till browned stirring frequently. Add peppercorns and fennel. When spices turn fragarant add corriander and chilli powders and immediately remove from fire. Keep aside to cool. Then grind finely with or without water.
4) Heat coconut oil.
5) Add onion, coconut slivers and curry leaves and fry till onions are transparent.
6) Add crused ginger, garlic and shallots.Fry till onion turns golden brown.
7) Add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are cooked well.
8) Add cooked bengal gram with the water in which it has been cooked. Let it come to a boil.
8) Add ground coconut masala. Mix well. Adjust salt. Let it come to a boil. Add garam masala powder. When gravy boils and thickens remove from fire.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with steamed rice cake (puttu).