Chana curry is a South Indian preparation made of Kala chana or black gram. The recipe uses curry leaves and coconut as garnish. Kala chana curry is best served with steamed rice. It is called kadala curry as well. Kadala curry is also best combination with puttu recipe.
Ingredients
- Black gram dal/ Kala chana (1/2 cup)
- Coconut oil (1 tbsp)
- Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp)
- Kashmiri mirch/dried red chilly (1)
- Curry leaves (1 sprig)
- Ginger (grated, 1/2 tsp)
- Onion (1, chopped)
- Salt as per taste
- Turmeric (a pinch)
- Red Chilli powder (a pinch)
- Garam masala (1/2 tsp)
- Freshly grated coconut (1 tbsp)
Method
- In a bowl, add the kala chana, water and wash well. Soak it over night in water for about 7 hours. After soaking overnight in water, the kala chana will become soft and enlarge in size.
- Take a heavy bottom vessel and add the soaked kala chana and water.
- Add salt(1 & 1/2 tsp) salt and mix well.
- Heat and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, slow the flame, close it with a lid and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or till the kala chana cooks and becomes soft and tender.
- Keep it aside for later.
- Now, heat a heavy bottom pan and add coconut oil into it.
- Once the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds into it and allow it to crackle.
- Now add the dried red chilly broken into half.
- Add few curry leaves into it and saute.
- Once the aroma spreads, add grated ginger and saute.
- Once the aroma of ginger spreads, add chopped onion into it and mix well.
- Once the onion starts to turn translucent, add salt(1/2 tsp) into it.
- Once the salt is added, the water starts to leave the onion. Keep sauteing in slow flame till the onion starts to change colour.
- Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute and cook the masalas.
- Finally add the garam masala.
- Now add the cooked chana dal into the pan and mix gently with the seasoning and spices.
- Add 1/2 cup water, close with a lid and bring it to boil.
- Once the curry boils, slow the flame, close with a lid and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Now switch off the flame and sprinkle with freshly grated coconut.
- Serve hot chana curry with rice, chapati and breakfast puttu.