KAALAN - Sadhya Recipe

Festival season is here and we are celebrating one of the beautiful festival of Kerala known as “Onam”. Onam is a festival celebrated by Malayalis in Kerala or in any other part of the world to mark the homecoming of the Great King Mahabali. It is also said to mark the harvest season for Kerala.

On this day, Sadhya (banquet) is served on a Banana leaf with numerous accompaniments. I enjoy small helpings of rice accompanied by variety of gravies. Gravies like; Sambar, Paripu curry, Moru, Pulisherry, Kaalan, Rasam etc. Onam Sadhya will be incomplete without "Kaalan". "Kaalan" is quintessential part of Sadhya (feast) and is our favorite dish. Such a simple, easy to make and yet so delicious. It is prepared with either elephant foot yam or raw banana. An easy breezy curry prepared using buttermilk, mustard seeds, coconut and raw bananas along with a host of other subtle spices.

You may also try out my other recipes:

1. Kadugu Manga / Instant Mango Pickle

2. Uppilitta Nellikka / Gooseberries in Brine / Amla in Brine

3. Keralacombo meal

Evidently, Onam Sadhya is a symbol of the Malayali people’s happy living. Both the rich and the poor are so serious about the significance of Onam Sadhya that they prepare this festive meal for grand feasting. A single course of Onam Sadhya has 24-28 dishes. Placing of each dish on banana leaves have importance in Sadhya like the pickle at the top left corner while banana on the bottom left corner. While Some communities also include non veg recipes it is originally a vegetarian cuisine.

So let us head to the making of this easy peasy dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups - Raw Plantains (Ethakkai)
• 1 cup - Curd
• ¾ cup – Coconut grated
• 4 shallots - sliced
• 5 – 6 Green chilies (Slit)
• Few Curry leaves
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder 
• ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder 
• ½ tsp Pepper powder 
• 3 nos Dry red chilies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
• Big pinch of Asafetida powder
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil
• Salt as per taste

Procedure:

Peel skin off the raw plantains and cut them into small pieces.

In a vessel, place the chopped vegetables along with salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, curry leaves, green chilies and enough water to cover the vegetable and allow it to cook.

In a grinder, add in grated coconut, cumin seeds, shallots and green chili (optional).

When the vegetables are cooked and more than half of the water is evaporated, add the ground mixture and mix well.  

Allow it to boil and when it thickens, reduce the flame add in the thick curd and mix well. Further cook for 2 minutes.

In the meantime prepare for the tempering; heat coconut oil in a small pan, add in mustard seed and allow it to splutter. Add the fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dried red chilies and a big pinch of Asafetida. Adding Asafetida is optional, since I like the fragrance I love added it.  Sauté until the curry leaves becomes crisps.

Pour the above tempering into the Kaalan and mix well.  Cover the vessel with a lid to lock the flavors of the tempering and coconut oil.

This goes well with steamed rice and superbly well with Matta Rice.  Matta Rice is Grown in the dense black cotton soil in parts of Kerala and Karnataka.

Tips:

Kaalan is also prepared with elephant foot Yam.

Use thick sour curd to have thick gravy.

Do try this recipe and don’t forget to let me know if you like it through comments. Be kind to like my page and share with your friends using the buttons on the side, that would really encourage me. God Bless!

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