Kerala style Kadala Curry is a rustic South Indian style brown chickpeas curry. Usually served with hoppers, string hoppers or Dosa, this nutritious curry is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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What is Kadala Curry?
Popular in Kerala, a southern Indian state, Kadala curry is a gravy made with brown chickpeas, coconut and other spices.
An everyday staple across many Kerala homes, this protein rich curry can be made in the Instant Pot or over the stovetop.
People living in Kerala refer to this curry as Varutharacha Kadala Curry, which means roasted, ground spices added and cooked with chickpeas.
As with any Indian recipe, there are so many versions of this recipe. Having grown up in a place that borders Kerala, I have had very generous Malayali neighbors who have shared their recipe with me.
Over the years, I have gone on to make slight changes here and there to tweak the recipe to my family’s liking. I am just sharing my version here.
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Why this recipe works?
- Needs only pantry staples.
- Nutritious with lots of protein.
- Batch cooking and freezer friendly.
- Requires minimal baby sitting.
Ingredients
To make this rustic brown chickpeas curry, we will first make a spice paste and then cook the chickpeas along with the spice paste.
For the spice paste, you will need-
- Coconut oil– an absolute necessity here!
- Whole spices like fennel, cinnamon and cloves
- Ginger and garlic
- Sliced onions– red, purple, white or yellow all work well.
- Ground spices like red chili powder, ground coriander and ground turmeric
- Chopped fresh tomatoes
- Coconut – both fresh and unsweetened desiccated coconut work here.
For the curry, you will need-
- Coconut oil – because all good things begin with this good fat source.
- Mustard seeds and curry leaves
- Chopped onions
- Brown chickpeas that have been hydrated for 8 hours
- Water
- The ground spice paste
Variations
Kadala Curry with Coconut milk
While this recipe calls for making a spice paste that involves coconut, you can skip adding the coconut and make a simple version of this curry with just coconut milk.
To do this, make the spice paste without the coconut, cook the curry as instructed here under the METHOD section.
Once the curry has finished cooking, stir in 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk and mix well. Simmer on low heat for 1 minute. Finish with curry leaves and serve hot.
Kadala curry with white Chana
Replace the brown chickpeas with regular white chickpeas and follow the rest of the recipe to make a delicious Kadala Curry with white Chana aka chickpeas.
Other variations
- Using the same spice paste as a base, you can make a similar style curry with other beans. Black eyed peas, pinto beans and butter beans work well in this case.
- For a creamier curry, stir in ½ cup thick coconut milk towards the end. Once you add the coconut milk, do not simmer the curry further.
- Sprouted brown chickpeas are a fantastic way to give this curry a nutrition upgrade. Use them just as you would, the hydrated chickpeas.
Dietary Specifications
Rich in protein and complex carbohydrates, this curry is my dream definition of healthy eating. Since it is naturally free from dairy, gluten, soy and nuts, it is safe to be served to mostly any crowd.
100 grams of brown chickpeas roughly has 8 grams of protein.
Leftovers, freezing and shelf life
When stored in an air tight container, this curry keeps well for 3 days in the refrigerator.
How to freeze brown chickpeas curry?
Freeze any leftover curry for up to 2 months. Allow the curry to cool down completely. When cool, divide into 2 cup portions, transfer to freezer safe containers or bags, label and freeze.
Tomato Blues Tips For Success
- Hydrating the chickpeas is key here to cook them evenly. I recommend hydrating them for at least 8 hours to uniform cooking.
- Forgot to soak the chickpeas? Flash soak them in hot water for 4 hours.
- For a quick curry, you may use canned brown chickpeas. Look for labels that read KALA CHANA IN BRINE in supermarket aisles.
- When using canned Kala Chana (brown chickpeas), you do not have to hydrate them. Just add them in place of the hydrated chickpeas and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 8 minutes and do a QPR.
- If you do not have fresh coconut, feel free to add unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut.
- Since these chickpeas take a while to cook, I do not recommend making them on stovetop in an open pan.
Recipe Notes
- Every 1 cup of brown chickpeas will yield 2 cups of hydrated chickpeas. This is after 8 hours of hydration (soaking).
- You can make this curry in the Instant Pot or in a regular stove top pressure cooker.
- The chickpeas won’t cook properly if they are not hydrated long enough or if they are old.
- Buy a fresh stock of brown chickpeas for easy, fast and uniform cooking.
- For the spice paste, I have used chopped fresh coconut since I find it hard to grate the coconut. ⅓ cup of chopped fresh coconut pieces yields ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
- If you can source grated fresh coconut, please use that. Both fresh and frozen work well here. You can also substitute this fresh coconut with ½ cup unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut.
- Use a deep pressure pan that is at least 4 liters (5 quart ) in capacity to avoid spills.
Serving suggestions
For a healthy, wholesome and filling meal, serve this curry with Puttu (steamed rice cakes), Kerala style Appam (hoppers) or Idiyappam (string hoppers)
Method
Prep work
Place the brown chickpeas in a colander and wash them twice. Transfer the washed chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.
Add 4 cups water to the bowl along with the chickpeas and allow it to hydrate for 8 hours.
After 8 hours, drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse once under running water. Set aside.
Making the spice paste
Heat a pan with coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the whole spices and wait for them to splutter.
As soon as the spices splutter, tip in the ginger and garlic. Saute till the garlic begins to brown. At this stage, add the sliced onions and saute them till they are soft and pink.
Now, add the ground spices along with the salt, stir to combine and cook on low heat for 30 seconds.
Immediately, tip in the chopped tomatoes, mix and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat till the tomatoes are mushy.
Add the coconut at this point, combine and cook the mixture on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. When done, switch off the flame. Allow the mixture to cool.
Transfer this mixture to a high speed blender and grind in short bursts for 3 to 4 times. Then add ¼ cup water and blend to slightly coarse paste. Set aside.
Instant Pot Kadala Curry
Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot and add coconut oil to the inner pot. Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE- NORMAL and set the timer to 8 minutes.
Wait for the display to read HOT. When ready, add the mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
Next, tip in the chopped onions and continue to saute them for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and soft.
Tip in the drained hydrated chickpeas and toss well to combine. Add the water next and stir once.
Now, add the ground spice paste and mix everything well with a ladle, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and scrape off any stuck bits.
Press CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
PRESS BEAN/CHILI MODE. The auto preset for this mode is HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. This timing is perfect for making our chickpeas curry.
Allow the cooking cycle to complete. Once the cooking cycle has completed, wait for 15 minutes of NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.
After 15 minutes NPR, do a gradual and controlled QPR by turning the VALVE to VENTING. PRESS CANCEL.
Open the lid and stir to mix the curry well. Mash the chickpeas once or twice with the help of a potato masher. This will help in achieving a creamy texture.
Now, press SAUTE-NORMAL and set the timer to 2 minutes. Allow the curry to simmer under SAUTE mode for 2 minutes.
When done, garnish with some fresh curry leaves and serve hot.
Stovetop method
- To make this curry on the stovetop, we will need a 4 liter deep pressure pan.
- Follow the prep work and make the spice paste as instructed above.
- Heat a deep pressure pan with coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and once they splutter, tip in the ginger and garlic.
- Saute the ginger and garlic till the garlic begins to brown and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions on medium heat till pink and soft.
- Add the drained chickpeas along with the water and ground paste. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker and put the weight on.
- Cook on medium heat for 7 to 8 whistles. When done, switch off flame and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and mash the chickpeas once or twice using a potato masher. Mix well.
- Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes and finish with some fresh curry leaves. Serve hot.
📖 Recipe
Kerala Kadala Curry
Equipment
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 six quart Instant Pot or a stovetop pressure cooker
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 1 cup brown chickpeas
- 4 cups water
For the spice paste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 green cardamom
- 2 tablespoon garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 cup onions sliced thinly
- 1.5 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1.5 tsp ground coriander (Dhania powder)
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped
- ⅓ cup coconut (fresh coconut chopped into small pieces which equals ½ cup fresh grated coconut)
- ¼ cup water
For the curry
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 12 curry leaves
- 1 cup onions very finely chopped
- 2 cups hydrated chickpeas
- 1.5 cups water
For garnish
- 10 curry leaves
Instructions
Prep work
- Place the brown chickpeas in a colander and wash them twice. Transfer the washed chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.
- Add 4 cups water to the bowl along with the chickpeas and allow it to hydrate for 8 hours.
- After 8 hours, drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse once under running water. Set aside.
Making the spice paste
- Heat a pan with coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the whole spices and wait for them to splutter.
- As soon as the spices splutter, tip in the ginger and garlic. Saute till the garlic begins to brown.
- At this stage, add the sliced onions and saute them till they are soft and pink. Now, add the ground spices along with the salt, stir to combine and cook on low heat for 30 seconds.
- Immediately, tip in the chopped tomatoes, mix and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat till the tomatoes are mushy.
- Add the coconut at this point, combine and cook the mixture on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. When done, switch off the flame. Allow the mixture to cool.
- Transfer this mixture to a high speed blender and grind in short bursts for 3 to 4 times. Then add ¼ cup water and blend to slightly coarse paste. Set aside.
Instant Pot Kadala Curry
- Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot and add coconut oil to the inner pot. Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE- NORMAL and set the timer to 8 minutes.
- Wait for the display to read HOT. When ready, add the mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
- Next, tip in the chopped onions and continue to saute them for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and soft.
- Tip in the drained hydrated chickpeas and toss well to combine. Add the water next and stir once.
- Now, add the ground spice paste and mix everything well with a ladle, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and remove any stuck chickpeas.
- Press CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- PRESS BEAN/CHILI MODE. The auto preset for this mode is HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. This timing is perfect for making our chickpeas curry.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete. Once the cooking cycle has completed, wait for 15 minutes of NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.
- After 15 minutes NPR, do a gradual and controlled QPR by turning the VALVE to VENTING. PRESS CANCEL.
- Open the lid and stir to mix the curry well. Mash the chickpeas once or twice with the help of a potato masher. This will help in achieving a creamy texture.
- Now, press SAUTE-NORMAL and set the timer to 2 minutes. Allow the curry to simmer under SAUTE mode for 2 minutes.
- When done, garnish with some fresh curry leaves and serve hot.
Stovetop method
- To make this curry on the stovetop, we will need a 4 liter deep pressure pan.
- Follow the prep work and make the spice paste as instructed above.
- Heat a deep pressure pan with coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and once they splutter, tip in the ginger and garlic.
- Saute the ginger and garlic till the garlic begins to brown and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions on medium heat till pink and soft.
- Add the drained chickpeas along with the water and ground paste. Mix well. Close the pressure cooker and put the weight on.
- Cook on medium heat for 7 to 8 whistles. When done, switch off flame and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and mash the chickpeas once or twice using a potato masher. Mix well.
- Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes and finish with some fresh curry leaves. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Every 1 cup of brown chickpeas will yield 2 cups of hydrated chickpeas. This is after 8 hours of hydration (soaking).
- You can make this curry in the Instant Pot or in a regular stove top pressure cooker.
- The chickpeas won't cook properly if they are not hydrated long enough or if they are old.
- Buy a fresh stock of brown chickpeas for easy, fast and uniform cooking.
- For the spice paste, I have used chopped fresh coconut since I find it hard to grate the coconut. ⅓ cup of chopped fresh coconut pieces yields ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
- If you can source grated fresh coconut, please use that. Both fresh and frozen work well here. You can also substitute this fresh coconut with ½ cup unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut.
- Use a deep pressure pan that is at least 4 liters (5 quart ) in capacity to avoid spills.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
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