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–+ servings
South Indian style brown chickpeas curry served in a beige bowl
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5 from 1 vote

Kerala Kadala Curry

A rustic south Indian style brown chickpeas curry that uses coconut as a key ingredient. This curry can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Prep Time8 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time38 minutes
Course: Main Course, Mains
Cuisine: Kerala, South Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 291kcal

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 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 2 tbsp garlic grated
  • 1 tbsp ginger grated
  • 1 cup onions sliced thinly
  • 1.5 tsp red chili powder
  • 1.5 tsp ground coriander (Dhania powder)
  • 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 cup tomatoes chopped
  • 1/3 cup coconut (fresh coconut chopped into small pieces which equals 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut)
  • 1/4 cup water

For the curry

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp 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 1/4 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. 1/3 cup of chopped fresh coconut pieces yields 1/2 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 1/2 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

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 603IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 4mg
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