Kadala Curry (or Kerala Style Brown Chickpeas in Coconut Curry) is a popular dish in Kerala cuisine, typically served with appam or puttu. It can be easily prepared in the Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stovetop.
Today, I am sharing a popular curry called kadala curry. It is made at least once every week in most Kerala homes. Kadala means 'chickpeas.' Also known as Kala chana, whole Bengal gram. This kala chana is used for many other dishes, like kala chana salad and kala chana curry.
The traditional way of cooking kadala curry is to soak chickpeas overnight in water, boil them using a pressure cooker, and then cook in the onion-tomato masala, coconut paste, and spices. Finally, add the tempering to the curry.
This is the Instant Pot version of making Kadala Curry. It is simple and easy to make without much hassle. Traditional Kerala style, Kadala curry is spicy and has extra liquid, as it is mainly enjoyed with puttu, appams, or rice. If you prefer a less watery consistency, you can reduce the water for cooking to 1.5 cups.
Dont have an Instant Pot? No worries, I have shared the stovetop pressure cooker and stovetop pot methods below.
Jump to:
How to Make Kerala Kadala Curry in Instant Pot
Soak chana (black chickpeas) overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds into a smooth paste—no need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.
Also, grind the fresh coconut with half a cup of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.
**Note: You can also roast the coconut and then grind it. If you don't have fresh coconut, you can use ½ cup of full-fat coconut milk instead.
Press SAUTE mode on the Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once the pot is hot, add onions and sauté until they turn light brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Next, add the tomato masala paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the soaked kadala (chickpeas), spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and water for cooking. Stir well.
Close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to "BEAN/CHILI" Mode and set the timer to 30 minutes. Do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.
Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing), and sauté for 30 seconds, and keep aside.
Once the pressure has released naturally, add the ground coconut paste and press sauté to cook for 3-4 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding water if required. Finally, add the tempering to the curry.
Serve Instant Pot Kerala kadala curry recipe with appam, puttu, or steamed sona masoori rice.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same steps as the Instant Pot. Then, cook the kadala, aka chickpeas, on a stovetop pressure cooker for two whistles on high heat and then 2-3 whistles on low heat or till they are tender and cooked through.
Stovetop Pot Method
- Pressure cook the soaked kadala (chickpeas) on a stovetop pressure cooker for 2 whistles on high heat and then 2-3 whistles on low heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds into a smooth paste. There is no need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.
- Also, grind the fresh coconut with half a cup of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pot. Once hot, add onions, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add the masala paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
- Add the cooked chickpeas, coconut paste, spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and some water, close the lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing), and sauté for 30 seconds, and add to the curry. Serve the kadala curry hot.
Tips & Variations
- You can replace coconut paste with thick coconut milk.
- If you want thicker and creamier gravy, you can mash a ladle full of chana and add it back to the curry.
- Curry thickens once cooled. Adjust the consistency as required.
- Soak the chana for at least 6-8 hours in water. If you forget to soak, then soak the chana in hot water for at least 3-4 hours.
- Coconut oil is preferred in this recipe, but any oil will also work.
More Instant Pot Indian Curry Recipes
Instant Pot Kerala Kadala Curry
Ingredients
For Masala Paste:
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup kala chana/kadala/brown chickpeas soaked overnight
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
For Coconut Paste:
- ½ cup shredded coconut (fresh or frozen) or full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup water
For Tempering:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 big pinch asafetida (hing)
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 2 dry red chillies
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Soak chana (black chickpeas) overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds into a smooth paste—no need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.
- Also, grind the fresh coconut with a half cup of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.**Note: You can also roast the coconut and then grind. If you don't have fresh coconut, you can also use ½ cup of full-fat coconut milk instead.
- Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once POT is hot, add onions and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add the masala paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the soaked kadala (chickpeas), spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and water for cooking. Stir well.
- Close the lid on the pot. Set the pot to "BEAN/CHILI" Mode and set the timer to 30 minutes.
- Do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing) and sauté for 30 seconds and keep aside.
- Once the pressure has released naturally, add the ground coconut paste and press sauté to cook for 3-4 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding water if required. Finally, add the tempering to the curry.
- Serve kadala curry with appam or puttu.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the same steps as above. Just cook the kadala aka chickpeas on stovetop pressure cooker for 2 whistles on heat heat and then 2-3 whistles on low heat or till they are tender and cooked through.
Stovetop Pot Method:
- Pressure cook the soaked kadala (chickpeas) on a stovetop pressure cooker for 2 whistles on high heat and then 2-3 whistles on low heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds to a smooth paste. No need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.
- Also, grind the fresh coconut with half a cup of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pot, once hot add onions, saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add the masala paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
- Add the cooked chickpeas, coconut paste, spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, some water and close the lid and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing) and sauté for 30 seconds and add it to the curry.
- Serve kadala curry with appam or puttu or steamed rice.
Notes
Tips & Variations
- You can replace coconut paste with thick coconut milk.
- If you want thicker and creamy gravy you can mash ladle full of chana and add them back to the curry.
- Curry thickens once cooled. Adjust the consistency as required.
- Make sure to soak the chana for at least 6-8 hours in water. If you forget to soak, then soak the chana in hot water at least for 3-4 hours.
- Coconut oil is preferred in this recipe, but any oil will work as well.
Nutrition
★ Like this recipe? FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube for more quick & easy recipes.
Pooja
I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday - followed it almost word for word (my only sub was using a can of coconut cream instead of fresh coconut).
The resulting dish is absolutely delicious, and has even improved overnight! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Bhavana Patil
Thank you, Pooja 😊 I am really glad to hear that, have a nice day 😊
John
Hi Bhavana,
Thanks for this recipe. Would it be okay to avoid soaking the dried chickpeas and adjust for this in the cooking time?
bhavana
I highly recommend to soak ,this brown chickpeas is slightly different from garbanzo beans (white Chickpeas).If you cant soak overnight,you can soak in hotwater for 4 hours and cook on highpressure for 30-35 minutes.