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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Curry

    Kerala Kadala Curry (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

    Jan 12, 2023. by Bhavana Patil. 4 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe

    Kadala Curry or Kerala Style Brown Chickpeas in Coconut Curry recipe is a popular accompaniment in Kerala Cuisine, usually served with Appam or Puttu made in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stovetop.

    It is made at least once every week in most Kerala homes. Kadala means 'chickpeas.' Also known as Kala chana, whole Bengal gram.

    I have included the recipe for Instant Pot, Stovetop Pressure Cooker, and Stovetop Pot Method below

    instant pot kerala kadala curry served in a black bowl served with white rice on side
    kerala kadala curry

    The chickpeas used in this recipe are brown chickpeas which are different from white chickpeas(garbanzo beans). Brown chickpeas take longer to cook, so I highly recommend soaking overnight or at least 6-8 hours before preparing this dish.

    Traditional Kerala style, Kadala Curry is spicy and has extra liquid, as it is mainly enjoyed with puttu or appams, or rice. If you like it to be less soupy, you can reduce the water for cooking to 1.5 cups. 

    The traditional way of cooking Kadala Curry (Black chickpeas 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 into the curry.

    Try out other chickpeas curry from my blog, like Chana Masala, Chickpea Coconut curry, Beetroot Chickpea Stir fry, Chickpea Biryani, Kala Chana Chaat (Salad).

    This is the Instant Pot version of making Kadala curry. It is simple and easy to make without much hassle.

    Dont have Instant Pot?

    No worries, I have shared the stovetop pressure cooker and stovetop pot method below.

    How to Make Kerala Kadala Curry in Instant Pot

    Soak chana (black chickpeas) overnight or for at least 6 hours.

    step to soak black chickpeas in water collage

    Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds into a smooth pasteโ€”no need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.

    step to make tomato ginger garlic to smooth paste collage

    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 it. If you don't have fresh coconut, you can also use ยฝ cup of full-fat coconut milk instead.

    step to make coconut paste collage

    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.

    step to saute onion and tomato collage

    Add the soaked kadala(chickpeas), spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and water for cooking. Stir well.

    step to add soaked chickpeas and spice collage

    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 sautรฉ for 30 seconds and keep aside.

    step to prepare tempering collage

    Once the pressure has released naturally, add the ground coconut paste and press sautรฉ to cook for 3-4 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding water if required. Finally, add the tempering to the curry.

    step to add coconut paste and tempering to kadala curry collage

    Serve Instant pot Kerala kadala curry recipe with appam, puttu, or steamed rice.

    Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

    Follow the same steps as above. 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

    1. 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.
    2. Grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and fennel seeds into a smooth paste. No need to add any water while grinding. Keep aside.
    3. Also, grind the fresh coconut with half a cup of water to a fine paste. Keep aside.
    4. Heat oil in a pot, once hot add onions, saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
    5. Next, add the masala paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
    6. 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.
    7. Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, and asafetida (hing) and sautรฉ for 30 seconds and add it to the curry.
    8. Serve kadala curry with appam or puttu or steamed rice.

    Tips & Variations

    1. You can replace coconut paste with thick coconut milk.
    2. If you want thicker and creamy gravy you can mash a ladle full of chana and add them back to the curry.
    3. Curry thickens once cooled. Adjust the consistency as required.
    4. Ensure to 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.
    5. Coconut oil is preferred in this recipe, but any oil will also work.

    More Curry Recipes

    • Lauki (Bottle gourd) Sabji
    • Kala Chana Curry
    • Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia Curry)
    • Zucchini Stir Fry
    • Lauki Chana Dal
    • Rajma Masala
    Tried this recipe?Donโ€™t forget to give a โ˜… rating below
    Kadala Curry served in a bowl with side of rice

    Instant Pot Kerala Kadala Curry

    Bhavana Patil
    Kadala Curry or Brown Chickpeas in Coconut Curry is a popular accompaniment in Kerala Cuisine usually served with Appam or Puttu
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings: 4
    Calories : 225
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
    Prep Time : 6 hours hours
    Cook Time : 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time : 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
    • Stovetop Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients
      

    Measuring cup used (1 cup = 250ml)

      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
      • ยฝ 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:

      • ยฝ cup shredded coconut (fresh or frozen) or full fat coconut milk
      • ยฝ cup water

      For Tempering:

      • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
      • ยฝ teaspoon mustard seeds
      • ยผ teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
      • a 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 pasteโ€”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 ยฝ 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 sautรฉ for 30 seconds and keep aside.
      • Once the pressure has released naturally, add the ground coconut paste and press sautรฉ 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 andย  then 2-3 whistles on low heat orย  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 sautรฉ for 30 seconds and add it to the curry.
      • Serve kadala curry with appam or puttu or steamed rice.

      Notes

      I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker,ย Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

      Tips & Variations

      1. You can replace coconut paste with thick coconut milk.
      2. If you want thicker and creamy gravy you can mash ladle full of chana and add them back to the curry.
      3. Curry thickens once cooled. Adjust the consistency as required.
      4. 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.
      5. Coconut oil is preferred in this recipe, but any oil will work as well.
      ย 
      Note:ย Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSodium: 95mgPotassium: 313mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 749IUVitamin C: 141.1mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2.1mg
      Keyword brown chickpeas, chickpea curry, coconut milk, Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes, instant pot brown chickpeas, kadala curry, kerala kadala curry, kerala style, Vegetarian One-Pot Meals
      Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

      Subscribe to my Youtube Channel for healthy & tasty video recipes. Looking for Instant Pot recipes, then check out my Instant Pot Recipes board on Pinterest.

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        Recipe Rating




      1. John says

        April 19, 2020 at 1:45 pm

        Hi Bhavana,

        Thanks for this recipe. Would it be okay to avoid soaking the dried chickpeas and adjust for this in the cooking time?

        Reply
        • bhavana says

          April 20, 2020 at 1:54 pm

          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.

          Reply
      2. Pooja says

        March 01, 2022 at 8:10 pm

        5 stars
        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.

        Reply
        • Bhavana Patil says

          March 02, 2022 at 1:44 pm

          Thank you, Pooja ๐Ÿ˜Š I am really glad to hear that, have a nice day ๐Ÿ˜Š

          Reply

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