Kaalan is a staple in any Kerala Sadya especially for Onam Sadya. The usual kaalan recipe has both elephant yam (chena) and raw bananas (pachakkai). I add only yam since that’s more readily available here. Also, its important that the curd is slightly sour, otherwise the curry will taste a bit ‘flat’. Adding a bit of tamarind might take care of this, I haven’t tried that though.
Kaalan
Ingredients:
Curd – 1.5 cups lightly beaten to remove lumps, best if slightly sour
Elephant yam (chena) – 1/2 cup, cubed
Coconut – 1/2 cup
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Green chillies – 2 to 3
Fenugreek seeds (uluva) – 1/4 tsp
Dried red chillies – 2
Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
How to Make Kaalan
1. Heat 1 cup water with the yam pieces and cook till almost done. (A fork inserted should come out easily. Make sure that the pieces are not mushy, just cooked). Meanwhile, grind coconut with green chillies well, with very little water.
2. Add salt, pepper powder and turmeric powder to the pan.
3. Lower the fire to minimum and add the beaten curd along with the ground coconut. After about five minutes, removed from fire and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and temper mustard seeds. Lightly fry the fenugreek seeds (take care not to burn it!) with the curry leaves and the red chillies. Add this to the above curry and mix well.
damn the network! Can’t view the pics 🙁
So will come back for sure 😀
So,this is kaalan!,now I could realize how funny when I posted my kaalan recipe ;p,
Love the colour and the serving bowl:)
Ya you have 2 post comments :D.
Just trying if the comment section is wrolking
seems to be working fine! 🙂
🙂 this is my dads all time fav dish…
That’s a beautiful picture, Nags! Looks like a version of mor kuzhambu. Just lovely! 🙂
I guess adding tamarind is not a great idea after all 🙂 Thanks Jayashree 🙂
love it! my combination is with some spicy red curry.. 🙂
I’ve never made kaalan here! My mom makes this regularly but the consistency is thicker. I’ve started out wanting to make kaalan so many times but have always ended up making a pulissery instead! 😀