Kerala Kadalai Curry / Black Channa Gravy with Coconut

Ingredients

Black Channa / Karuppu Kondai kadalai- 1/2cup

Onion-1

Tomato (big)-1

Green chilly-2

Few curry leaves

Chilly powder-2teaspoons (adjust to taste)

Coriander powder-1teaspoon

Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon

Salt

Coconut oil  -1 tablespoon

To dry roast and grind

Coriander seeds-1teaspoon

Fennel seeds-1/2teaspoon

Cinnamon Stick-1

Cloves -2

To Grind

Fresh coconut-4tablespoons

Method

Chop the onion, green chilly and tomato.

Wash and soak the channa for 8 hours or overnight. Pressure cook it with enough salt and keep it ready.

Grind coconut with little water to a fine paste. 

Dry roast the things until nice aroma comes, let it cool and powder it.

Heat coconut oil, add the mustard seeds and let them pop-up. Then add the chopped onion, green chilly, curry leaves.  

Saute the onion until it turns pink, then add tomato pieces, keep cooking on medium heat. Once the tomatoes become mushy and oil oozes out, add chilly powder, coriander powder and the freshly made roasted powder.

Saute it for 2-3 minutes, then add the coconut paste.

Stir the contents until it becomes almost dry , then add the cooked channa.

Keep sautéing well, the masala will be coated on the channa and it will become almost dry.

At this stage add about 11/2 cups of water, adjust the salt.

Let it simmer for 7-8 minutes or until the desired consistency of your choice. Finally add half a teaspoon of sugar (optional), add chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Delicious Kerala style kadalai curry tastes good with idiyappam, idli, dosa, appam or puttu. It pairs well with chapati/roti and paratha varieties too!! You can have it with white rice as well.

Note
The addition of freshly roasted spice powder, adding coconut oil, sautéing the gravy well before adding water are the keys to the gravy. It enhances the taste!