Kadala Curry- Kerala Style ( Chick peas/ Chana in coconut milk and with sliced coconut

Puttu and Kadala Curry is one of the favorite and common traditional breakfast combination of a malayalee (Keralite). Kadala Curry is also a good combination with chappathi, appam, idiyappam. When I make it I make little extra so that it will go with one night dinner ( With Chappathi ) and next day's breakfast ( With Puttu). There is a proverb in Malayalam "ഒരു വെടിക് രണ്ടു പക്ഷി" - " Killing two birds with one bullet". Similarly with one dish I serve both breakfast and dinner.
Well, In this recipe you can see that I used two cups of Kadala and it serves 8-10 persons. What happened is that I made little more extra so that I can give it to my neighbor and one of my husband's colleague. Me and my neighbor "S.." have a habit of exchanging food. It all started when I became pregnant with my second kid. She used to feel sympathetic to me, seeing me struggling with my 2 year old naughty and restless son and doing cooking and other household chores. And I used to feel guilty to take it from her. She is a working lady works 5 days and cook on week-ends. And I being a house wife sitting at home. So I used to return her food containers with some dishes  when ever I can. And this episode still continues.

Well, "S.." and her husband gave me a "good" feed back about this dish. And told me that I should definitely put this in my blog. And she asked me for the recipe with exact measurement. Now a days since I started a blog I usually use measuring spoons and measuring cups so that I can post exact measurements. Earlier it was just pouring it from my 'spice containers' tuck.... tuck... tuck.... Sometimes spices/ masala will be little bit more or little bit less. Here, goes exact measurement. I am little bit confused about 'Perumjeerakam powder' I added. Whether it was 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp. Rest measurements are fine.

Serves - 8-10

Ingredients:

1) Chana / Kadala / Chick peas - 2 cup

2) Sliced Big Onion - 1-1 1/2

3) Chopped Garlic- 1 pod

4) Chopped Ginger - 1 piece

5) Green Chilly -3

6) Sliced Coconut - 1/2 cup

7) Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

8) Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

9) Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp

10) Gram Masala - 1- 1 1/4 tsp

11) Perumjeerakam powder (Ground fennel seeds) - 1/2- 3/4 tsp

12) Coconut Milk - 1 tin

13) Mustard seeds

14) Oil

15) Curry leaves

16) Salt

Method:

• Soak the chana in water overnight or 6-8 hrs.
• Heat oil in pressure cooker. When the oil is hot, splutter the mustard seeds.
• Add Sliced onion, ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves. Saute occasionally.
• When the onion turns brown, add chilly powder, coriander powder, perumjeerakam,  Gram masala, turmeric powder. Saute continuously. When the roasted masala aroma comes add chick peas/ Chana/ Kadala, Salt and sliced coconut. Pour water enough to cover the chana. Stir.
• Close the pressure cooker and when the steam comes out put on the weight. Remove from the flame after 3-4 whistle. Wait for the pressure to get over. Or put the pressure cooker under running cold water. When the pressure is over, open the pressure cooker.
• Add coconut milk to it. Stir. Bring the dish to boil and turn off the flame.