Kadala Curry (Kerala Style Black Chickpeas Kari)

Kadala Curry (Kerala-Style Black Chickpeas Kari) is a quintessential dish in every Malayalee household. It’s a very popular dish to serve with puttu, appam, and dosa for breakfast and is also eaten with idiyappam or string hoppers, paratha, and boiled red rice for lunch or dinner (vegan, can be easily made gluten-free).

Jump to:

• About Kadala Curry
• Health Benefits Of Black Chickpeas
• Ingredients
• How To Make Kadala Curry
• Pro Tips By Neha
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
• You Might Also Like
• Recipe Card

About Kadala Curry

Kadala Curry (Kerala Style Black Chickpeas Kari) is a spicy, flavorful, and coconutty black chickpeas curry made in most Malayalee homes.

This curry is best served for breakfast with puttu, dosa, appam, or idiyappam, or a hearty lunch along with steamed matta rice, poori, paratha, or roti.

Each household has its own way of making kadala curry. Some make it semi-dry and some with gravy. It can be made with or without coconut or even using coconut milk.

I learned this Kerala style kadala curry recipe from a houseboat owner on one of my trips to Kerala, so sharing his version today. I promise it’s absolutely delicious.

This curry is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free. You can also easily double or triple the recipe.

Here are some more black chickpea recipes that you can include in your everyday meals

• Jaisalmeri Chana
• Sookha Kala Chana
• North Indian Style Kala Chana Curry
• Chana Chaat

Health Benefits Of Black Chickpeas

Black chickpeas are a type of legume that is native to the eastern Mediterranean region and parts of Asia. They are a popular ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes.

Black chickpeas are a good source of protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals including iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.

They also have some health benefits, such as aiding digestion, reducing blood cholesterol levels, and helping to regulate blood sugar levels.

Ingredients

Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana, Black Chana) – Try to buy organic black chickpeas.

Whole Spices – Add green cardamoms, cinnamon, and cloves to the curry for warm flavors.

Fresh Coconut Buy grated coconut to save you some time. It is available in the freezer section of any Indian grocery store.

Curry Leaves add a beautiful South Indian touch to the curry, so make sure you use fresh aromatic ones.

Coconut Oil – This curry is traditionally made using coconut oil but you can replace it with vegetable oil or ghee if it’s not available.

Spice Powders – To enhance the taste of the curry, you will need some basic spices such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and garam masala spice mix.

For a very authentic taste, use my Kerala style garam masala in this recipe.

Others – You will also need shallots, salt, brown mustard seeds, fennel seeds (saung), fenugreek seeds (methi dana), curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, onions, tomatoes, and green chilies.

Adjust the green chillies as per your taste.

For The Tempering – To temper the kadala curry, you will need coconut oil, brown mustard seeds, asafetida (hing), curry leaves, and whole dry red chilies.

Tempering is optional, but it does add a great flavor to the curry.

How To Make Kadala Curry

Cook The Chickpeas

In A traditional Pressure Cooker

Wash 1 cup of dry black chickpeas with water and soak it in 3 cups of water for 6-8 hours.

Note – Soaking is important to ease the cooking process and also to make the chickpeas easily digestible.

Drain the water and wash the chickpeas once again.

Add the soaked chana to a pressure cooker along with

• 2 cups of water
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves

and stir gently.

Pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

Open the lid of the cooker.

In An Instant Pot

Wash 1 cup of dry black chickpeas with water and soak it in 3 cups of water for 6-8 hours.

Drain the water and wash the chickpeas once again.

Add the soaked chana to an instant pot along with

• 1 and ½ cups of water
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves

Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.

Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 15 minutes at high pressure.

Once the timer goes off, do a 10 minutes natural pressure release. Then release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.

Make The Coconut Paste

Add ½ cup of grated fresh coconut to a skillet and roast on medium heat until is it lightly browned (3-4 minutes), stirring frequently.

Add ¼ cup of peeled shallots and 10-12 curry leaves and roast until the coconut is nicely browned.

This process gives a very robust flavor to this curry and a very nice color too.

Add the ingredients to the small jar of a blender along with ¼ cup of water and blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the jar a few times while blending.

Set the paste aside.

Make The Curry

Heat 4 tablespoon coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add

• ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

and saute for 10-12 seconds.

Add ½ cup chopped onions and cook until it turns translucent (3-4 minutes), stirring frequently.

Now add ½ cup chopped tomatoes and 2-3 slit green chilies and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently while cooking.

Add

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder

and cook for a minute.

Add some water if the masala is drying out.

Now add the ground coconut paste that you made earlier and mix well.

Add the cooked chana along with the water in which it was cooked to the pan.

Reduce the heat to low.

Cook the curry for 10-12 minutes. Mash a few chana with the back of the ladle to make the gravy creamier.

Check for salt and add as needed.

Temper The Curry

Heat 2 tablespoon coconut oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add

• ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 2-3 whole dry red chilies

and fry for 4-5 seconds.

Pour the tempering over the curry and stir gently. Serve hot.

Pro Tips By Neha

In case you forget to soak the chickpeas, then soak them in boiling hot water for about 2 to 3 hours before cooking.

You can cook the chickpeas and store them in the fridge a day before if you are planning to cook in the morning. Finishing this step helps to make the curry in lesser time.

You can adjust the consistency of curry, by adding more or less water to the curry. If you like it to be thick, add less water and vice versa.

You can replace black chickpeas with white chickpeas for a taste change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally, this mouthwatering curry is enjoyed with puttu, dosa, idiyappam, or appam for breakfast.

But, you can also serve it along with steamed rice or ghee rice for your everyday meals. 

I also like to eat it with tawa paratha or lachha paratha.

Storage Suggestions

Kerala Kadala Curry stays good in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it either in a pan over the stovetop or in the microwave, before serving it again.

If you feel the gravy has become a little thick while refrigerating, add in a little water and adjust the consistency. Heat the curry well.

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