Kadala mezhukkupuratti or kadala ularthiyathu is a Kerala cuisine. Normally black chickpeas are used, but you can try with white or green chickpeas also. Today's recipe, is a little bit different but tastier than usual Kerala kadala ularthiyathu. This is my mom's recipe. She serve this curry with puttu and uppumavu.
What is ularthiyathu or mezhukkupuratti ?
Mezhukkupuratti or ularthiyathu is a common way of stir frying the vegetables or pulses in Kerala. The precooked vegetables or pulses will be sautéed in various spices. In Kerala houses, one or two of such stir fries will be served on a daily basis. The stir fry has different names in different regions of Kerala. In central Kerala, this dish will be called urlarthu or ularthiyathu . But when we move to the southern Kerala, the name changes to mezhukkupuratti. The name of the vegetable or pulse will be appended with the word mezhukkupuratti / ularthiyathu. Thus the name Kadala mezhukkupuratti or Kadala ularthiyathu.
Which variety of chickpeas are best for kadala ularthiyathu recipe?
When we ask this question, my answer will be "I would like to recommend the black chickpea" (karutha kadala / kala chana: Karutha means black and kadala means chickpeas). Still, you can try with other varieties of chickpeas like white or green ones. But I feel black chickpeas ularthu is the tastier than the other two.
How to make Kerala style black chickpeas stir fry?
Kadala ularthiyathu or Kadala mezhukku puratti is prepared with store bought dry black chickpeas. This need to be soaked overnight or till soft. So the preparation should be started in the previous night. Next day, the soaked chickpeas will be pressure cooked along with some spices like onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies etc. It is further stir fried with dried red chilies and then seasoned with raw coconut oil and curry leaves.
Is this a traditional recipe?
No, Of course not.... Traditionally kadala urlarthu won't be used ginger or garlic. The boiled chickpeas will simply sautéed with fried shallots/ onion and green / red chilies. In my childhood, my mom used to follow this traditional method. But once she got this recipe from her colleague, she started to follow this version.
Trust me, this kadala ularthiyathu is much tastier than the older version.
Some serving suggestions
Kadala mezhukkupuratti or kadala ularthiyathu is usually served for breakfast. A very common combination with puttu, uppumavu and poori. But once steamed rice with kadala ularthiyathu was my normal lunch box menu. If you are looking for a gravy type of Kerala chickpeas curry for puttu and poori, then do try my kadala curry recipe.
Kadala Ularthiyathu or Kadala Varattiyathu Recipe || How To Make Kadala Mezhukkupuratti At Home || Esay And Tasty Black Bengal Gram Stir Fry
Kerala Style Bengal Gram Stir Fry
Preparation time: 8 hours | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Total time: 8 hours and 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup black Bengal gram / karutha kadala or kala chana
- 1 medium size onion
- 2" piece ginger
- 1 bulb garlic, peeled
- 2 green chilies
- 1 spring curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon hot chili powder
- 1 spring curry leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
How To Prepare Kerala Style kadala mezhukkupuratti
Preparation of Kadala ularthiyathu With Step By Step Photos
The Bengal gram which we call black kadala in Malayalam is available in the market as the dried version with a long shelf life period. So this need to be soaked overnight or at least eight hours before cooking. So soak 1 cup of dried Bengal gram in normal water and keep aside for one night. By the next day, it will absorb water and will turn soft. Wash at least three times with fresh water and drain and keep aside.
- The pressure cooking is best for Bengal gram as it has a long cooking point. So Transfer all the soaked and cleaned Bengal gram into a small pressure cooker. The pot method is time consuming and if you prefer, you can go for the pot method too.
- Put the spices like onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. You can add up to two medium sized onions as onion improves the taste and texture of this dish. The ginger and garlic not only influence the taste, but also give helps to resolve the gastric problems. Adjust the amount of green chilies to your taste, but we will use chili powder at the end, so do not use more than two.
- Pour enough water to the cooker. The water level should be at least one inch above the Bengal gram level. Then pressure cook for one whistle for high flame and three to four whistles on low flame.
- Once the pressure settles down, open the lid and check where the Bengal gram is soft or not. If still hard, you have to pressure cook again. Make sure there is enough water left in the cooker if not, add enough hot water and cook again. To check the Bengal gram, press one cooked bengal gram with your fingers, soft means cooked.
- Transfer the entire content into a wide wok and put enough salt, curry leaves and chili powder to taste. While adding chili powder, do a taste test and add to your taste as we have already put two green chilies while cooking the bengal gram.
- Switch on the flame and cook till all the water evaporates. This dish tastes good in both thick and semi-thick consistency. So stop cooking when you get the desired consistency.
- Drizzle some fresh coconut oil and close the lid for next ten to fifteen minutes so that the flavors infuse nicely into the curry.
- You can do the same recipe with white bengal gram or vella kadala also. But I recommend the black one for best taste. Serve with poori, chapathi, uppumavu or puttu. Enjoy.
Happy cooking
Anju
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