Rest is a traditional Kerala curry prepared with plantain made with yogurt and coconut. You can also use other vegetables like elephant yam (chena). Let’s see how to make this very simple dish with step-by-step images and videos.
This can be prepared as part of Onam sadhya or Vishu Sadhya. You can also prepare it on normal days to enjoy this dish.
Check out mine erysseria recipe AND injipuli recipe on this website.
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Kalan is a curry based on yogurt as well as the typical coconut cumin seed paste. This is in fact the first Kerala dish I posted when I started blogging. But I just learned it from a recipe book and it turned out to be the wrong recipe, as many readers have pointed out. So I had to write down the recipe. After that, I never turned to Kerala cuisine.
I have a few follower friends who I can refer and post to, but somehow I didn’t feel comfortable. Last year I had browsed through many recipes and Instagram allows you to see many Kerala dishes during onam via reels.
After trying this Kaalan, I wondered why I haven’t tried such simple recipes in a long time. I understand that another version called kurukku kalan is thicker and drier.
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients available in your kitchen to prepare Kalan.
- Plantain – Unripe banana – Raw banana – Main ingredient of the recipe.
- Yogurt – Indian Curd – Gives the distinct taste to the curry.
- Coconut – Main ingredient in all Kerala dishes which gives thickness to the gravy.
- Caraway seeds – For flavor, added in most coconut-based Kerala gravy.
- Chillies – Green chilli to grind the coconut and red chilli to impart the smoky flavor and heat in tempering.
- Red chili powder – To flavor cooking plantains.
- Black pepper powder – because it’s good with turmeric and spices.
- Turmeric powder – Adds color.
- Mustard – To temper.
- Coconut oil – Must for all Kerala dishes, which gives it a distinct flavour.
- Salt
Check out my recipe card below for the full list and exact quantities.
Step by step images
Let’s see how to prepare Kalan.
- First boil the plantain in 1 ¼ cups of water with turmeric, red chilli powder, salt as required and black pepper powder.
2. Cook until cooked through, not overcooked. Mine cooks easily in 3-4 minutes usually.
3. Meanwhile, grind the coconut with green chilli, cumin seeds and water.
4. Grind gently like this.
5. Add it to the cooked raw banana.
6. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Once thick and smooth, lower the heat.
8. Whisk the curd smoothly.
9. Add curd to the kalan.
10. Then add the roasted fenugreek seeds powder.
11. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
12. Then heat the oil in a saucepan and pop the mustard seeds, followed by the red chilli and curry leaves.
13. Add to Kalan and mix well.
Serve Kerala Kalan with matta rice and pappadam or as part of your Onam Sadya, Vishu Sadhya.
Substitutions and variations
You can use a combination of yam and raw banana, as I see in many recipes.
You can use other vegetables like ash gourd, cucumber, yellow squash.
Warehousing
If you boil the kalan for a long time until it becomes thick, it can stay comfortably at room temperature for a couple of days. I haven’t tried it myself, but you can easily store it in the refrigerator for 4 days.
My notes
I know all kinds of spices like green chilli, red chilli, black pepper powder are used in this recipe. But we add to balance the taste since we are cooking with yogurt.
The best advice
- Whisk the curd so that it appears smooth in the curry. You can also blend it and add it.
- Adjust the spice level based on the tanginess of the curd to balance the taste. Use more green chillies while grinding the coconut.
- While adding the curd, I recommend lowering the heat and adding it as you mix.
Service tip
Serve the kalan as part of the Sadhya with matta rice and some pappadams.
Recipe card
Kalan Recipe | Kerala Kalan Curry
Kalan is a traditional Kerala curry prepared with plantain made with yogurt and coconut. You can also use other vegetables like elephant yam (chena).
Cup measurementsIngredients
- 1 Raw banana
- ¼ cup Curd
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- dust Roasted
- Salt
Grind into a paste
- ½ cup Coconut
- ½ teaspoon Caraway seeds
- 1 Green chili pepper
Prevents the screen from going dark
Instructions
First boil the plantain in 1 ¼ cups of water with turmeric, red chilli powder, salt as required and black pepper powder.
Cook until just cooked through, not overcooked. Mine cooks easily in 3-4 minutes usually.
Meanwhile, grind the coconut with the green chilli, cumin seeds and water.
Grind gently like this.
Add it to the cooked raw banana.
Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
When it is thick and homogeneous, lower the heat.
Whisk the curd smoothly.
Add curd to the kalan.
Then add toasted fenugreek seed powder.
Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
Then heat the oil in a small saucepan and pop in the mustard seeds, followed by the red chilli and curry leaves.
Add to the Kalan and mix well.
Video
Notes
- You can use a combination of yam and raw banana, as I see in many recipes.
- You can also use other vegetables like ash gourd, cucumber, yellow squash.
- Whisk the curd so that it appears smooth in the curry. You can also blend it and add it.
- While adding the curd, I recommend lowering the heat and adding it as you mix.
