Kaalan

Its been a while since I posted any recipe. I took a nice long break to spend time with my family. And now its time to post all the lovely memories the last two months have given me. 
Starting with my first Vishu after marriage, right from arranging for the Kani(the first thing seen on the day of Vishu after waking up) to learning how to make the sadhya was so much fun. It is always fun to celebrate festivals with family and friends. 
As promised I will be posting all the recipes included in the sadhya made on that day. Thanks to Binduamma and Aswin's grandmother I learnt how to make most of what I like in a sadhya.
The first post under sadhya special is one of my favourite, "KAALAN". 
Kaalan is a more popular traditional Keralite dish made of yogurt, coconut, and vegetables tuber like yam and raw plantain. Since I couldn't find yam (chena) on that day in Phoneix,Arizona. I had to stick to raw plantains.

PREP TIME	COOK TIME	TOTAL TIME
15 mins	30 mins	45 mins

Serves:- 6-7
INGREDIENTS:-

• Raw Plantain/Banana /Pachakkaya -  1 (medium sized)
• Tender Yam/Chenna - 1/2 cup or 115 grms ( if your Lucky to find it. or you can make it just with Raw Plantain/ Pachakkaya)
• Thick Sour Yogurt - 2 cups or 1/2 ltr (stirred well)
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp or as required
• Red Chilli Powder - a pinch
• Black Pepper Powder -  1 tsp
• Roasted Fenugreek Seeds powder -  1/4th tsp (dry roast and powdered)
• Curry Leaves -  a spring (if your lucky to find it)
• Salt - to taste

To Grind :

• Grated Coconut - 1 and 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4th tsp
• Green Chillies - 4-5

For Seasoning :

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Whole Dry Red Chillies - 3
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4th tsp (optional)

METHOD:-

• Wash and cut the vegetables, i.e banana and yam into cubes.
• Pour water into a pan, add the chopped vegetables and then dissolve the pepper powder in 1/2 cup of water; strain the water and cook the vegetables in pepper water with turmeric powder and red chilli powder till the water dries; now add the salt and curry leaves and mix well. Also make sure the vegetables do not get too soft and loose their shape, so add water accordingly.
  
   
• At this point when the vegetables are almost cooked, add the beaten sour yogurt into this. Adding yogurt does not overcook the vegetables.
• Simultaneously grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies with little water and curd. Grind it till it becomes as smooth as butter.
  
• Just when you see small bubbles appearing in the yogurt mixture add this grounded coconut mixture to it.
  
• Stir well and allow it to cook. Make sure you do not boil it. Just when small bubbles start appearing add curry leaves and  switch off the flame of the gas.
• In another small pan heat some coconut oil and add mustard seeds, allow it to crackle and then add fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Once the fenugreek seeds crackle, switch of the flame of the gas.
  
  
• Pour this seasoning into the kaalan and stir well. Cover the dish and let the flavour set. And your Kaalan is ready.
  
  

P.S. :- 1. Make sure the yogurt is not too sour. It should be medium sour.
2. You can refrigerate this for over a week. Do not reheat this, bring it back to room temperature and serve it .