Learning Kerala food- Kaalan.

I have never had a curry made out of ripe plantains. When I saw a recipe using ripe bananas, I was skeptical and almost repulsed at the idea. But when I finally mustered courage to make it, Satish had already eaten the one ripe plantain that we had as his breakfast. So the recipe was forgotten. Then LG posted a fabulous recipe for the same.

Couple of days ago I finally made this. It tasted so wonderful with rice. It tasted even better the next day. I wasnot sure how this is supposed to taste after I had made it, but S declared that it was perfect. I was overjoyed at the fact that this Kerala dish was finally mastered by me. One more dish under the belt for Onam this year.

Recipe and method:

One ripe plantain , peeled and cubed.

To the diced plantain, add 6 green chillies (slit lengthwise), 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp. chilly powder, half cup water and about 1/2 tsp.salt. Cook on low flame until the plantains are soft and the water is almost evaporated.

In a blender, grind till silky smooth a cup of freshly grated coconut and 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds. Add this to the cooked plantain.

Gently crush the plantain while mixing the coconut paste. On low heat, let the mixture come to a slow boil.

At this stage add about 2-3 cups of mooru ( yogurt made lighter by adding water and mixing well to make it to a more flowing consistency) . Continue to cook on low flame, stirring continously till the mixture attains a thick consistency.

Remove from fire and let it cool. You might need to stir it after removing from fire for some more time to prevent curdling of the mixture. Once slightly cooled, add 1/2 tsp. of fenugreek powder.

In a seperate pan, heat about 1.5 tbsp of coconut oil, crack a tsp of mustard seeds. To this add a couple of sprigs of curry leaves and dried green chillies. Remove from fire after a minute on the fire and add it to the kaalan. Add more salt if needed to suit your taste. Stir well and serve.

I have always dreamed about making a traditional Onam lunch (Onasadya). As a kid my mother made a few of the traditional dishes but never the whole parade. I remember promising her all my help in the kichen on the day of Onam, but after one hour of prepwork I would be tired and drift off. She would then have to slave by herself in the kitchen to make the rest of the meal. This happened too often that my family soon learnt not to take too seriously my offer for help in the kitchen.

After reading Annita’s post today and looking at that sumptous meal, I am determined mone than ever to learn more of the traditional Kerala dishes.I had this with rice and some fish. Oh man! It was so good and so proud to learn this new dish! This sure is a good start.

Recipe source: Mrs. K. M. Mathew ( Lalitha pachakam)