Thursday, April 14, 2011

Kurukku Kalan/Boiled and Thickened Yogurt gravy & Happy Vishu

I have shared many stories about Vishu on this site and you can read about it here. For me, the best thing about Vishu, as a grown up, is the fresh morning after a rain because it always rains in Kerala during this time. The smell of fresh earth, the lush green scenery outside, and to wake up looking at a beautifully decorated room with pictures of my favorite gods, light from an oil lamp and oodles of yellow flowers. Tell you what - it’s a fantastic way to kick start a day!

  My experience here in US this year will be kind of similar because it's been raining here. The rain is setting the stage for me to experience all of the above. There may be less green, but overall I am feeling very good about it this year, and in some ways I will experience my hometown here in the US too. The daffodils, dandelions and tulips have already started showing off their vibrant colors. I will miss konnapoo, but these flowers in my yard are a great stand by. I will decorate a 'vishukkani" with some of these flowers and the "Krishnan" I got from Guruvayur. Here is a picture from last year, and the first look I will have tomorrow will be the same.


Vishu_Flowers in Uruli


The recipe for today in celebration of this festival is Kurukku Kalan - a part of the ‘sadya.’ I promised to post it here long back, but couldn't do it until now. Kalan is often confused with "pulissery", because the basic ingredients are the same. However, kalan is made after boiling and thickening the yogurt, which is more delicate and time consuming when compared to pulissery. But I must tell you, all the efforts are worth it, if you like this dish. Here is a recipe from both my families, mine and my in-laws. The variations will be clear to you from my notes at the end.

Kurukku Kalan for Sadya

Collaborative Curry wishes it's readers a very Happy Vishu/ Tamil New year to all.

Happy Vishu

Kurukku Kalan for Sadya


Ingredients:

Coconut oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies,slit in the middle- 3-4
Raw Banana(Nendran)/Elephant foot yam(chena),cubed- 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder- a pinch
Salt- to taste
Sour Curd/yogurt- Half liter/~500g
Coconut grated- 3 Tbsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera- 1/4 tsp
Dry roasted and powdered Methi/Fenugreek seeds- a big pinch

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Dried red chilies, broken into halves- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Method:

1. Peel off the banana skin and chop into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Grind the coconut with the cumin seeds to a fine paste, without adding any or very little water and transfer it into a small pan/plate. (Keep this close at hand while cooking the vegetable in the following step.)
3. Beat the yogurt/curd well and do not add any water.
4. Heat 2tsp of coconut oil in a deep, thick bottom pan. Add the slit green chilies and sauté till it changes color, at medium-low-heat.
5. Reduce the heat or take out the pan from the stove and add the turmeric powder and chili powder and mix well. Care should be taken not to burn.
6. Bring the pan back over the stove or increase the heat and add a cup of water (enough water to cook the vegetable). Slide in the chopped banana/yam and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook. This took about 20 minutes for me.
7. When the vegetables are cooked and yield to a fork add salt and mix slowly without mashing the vegetables. Boil all the water dry.
8. Add beaten curd/yogurt and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring continuously.
9. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir.
10. Foam starts forming at this point. Spoon it out and pour over the ground-coconut mixture you should have handy at the side. This process helps the coconut to be lightly cooked. Set the coconut mixture aside and continue to stir the yogurt.
11. In about 20 – 30 minutes the yogurt will start to thicken. Now, add the coconut mixture with the foam you collected and mix well and heat through.
13. Switch off the heat. Be careful not to heat the mixture after adding the coconut mixture or else it will curdle.
14. Remove the pan from the stove, sprinkle the methi powder and mix well.
15. For seasoning; take a small pan and heat the oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add the red chilies. Switch off the heat and add the curry leaves. Pour this over the kalan.

Notes:

1. You can use yam or raw banana (nendran) for making this. If you don't have any of the vegetables it is fine. Avoid the cooking step for vegetables and start with cooking the yogurt.
2. My sis-in-law (fantastic cook) uses slightly ripened banana (nendran) for making kalan, especially if the curd is sour. The sour-sweet combo is good.
3. When the yogurt mixture starts thickening, you have to decide about the consistency of the end product. If you like a pouring consistency you can stop a little earlier than I have mentioned. Remember, adding the coconut mixture will thicken the curry and once it cools down it thickens further. Therefore decide on the consistency early on in the cooking. I like to make kalan thick and that is how I have timed and measured my recipe.
4. You may avoid adding coconut mixture for this curry. If so, the curry can be kept at room temperature for longer. For weeks! Alternatively, the coconut mixture can be added in small portions on the days you serve this. However, you may add coconut like I have given in the method and the curry will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
5. If you are not adding coconut mixture you can add cumin powder and mix into the beaten yogurt. This method is mostly preferred by cooks while making large quantities for sadya. Like I have already mentioned, the adding and deleting of coconut mixture is for more than the taste, is to prolong the shelf life of this curry.
6. If you think that your curd/yogurt is not sour enough (especially when you have store-bought yogurt) leave it on the counter top overnight. This will definitely make the yogurt sour. Obviously!


Contributor: Namitha

42 comments:

  1. Great clicks and a mouthwatering recipe. Happy Vishu !

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  2. Ty Ty and Happy Vishu to you. Lovely flower display! The Kalan looks super duper. I am digging it.

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  3. I love everything in this post.. lovely lovely.. Wish u HAppy Vishu to u and Family dear.,

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  4. beautiful pictures there. Wish you a very Happy New year

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  5. Happy new year to you too dear, that is such a new and delicious looking dish :)

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  6. aww i have the same bharani..but i put flowers in it and it stands on my coffee table ..hehehe
    happy bvishu 2 u as well.

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  7. Happy Vishu to u guys!....wonderful flower kolam!
    the dish looks delicious dear! Enjoy!
    Smitha
    Smitha's Spicy Flavors

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  9. Happy Vishu to you !! Lovely dish. Loved the flower bowl !!

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  10. Happy Vishu to you, have a very nice time, and may the year ahead be just sooo good !
    Lovely, lovely pictures !

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  11. Happy vishu to u and ur family too, luv the exotic creation and decor!

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  12. Happy new year to you dear...the dish looks delicious. And loved those flowers.

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  13. Beautiful clicks and a very lovely dish. Happy Vishu to you.

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  14. Happy Vishu to you & your family..
    Yougurt gravy looks delicious..

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  15. Very nice recipe...and super clicks!!!

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  16. Lovely flower decor dear,vishu wishes to you .This recipe is new to me n it sounds delicious .

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  17. Happy Vishu to you & your family..
    Everything looks beautiful n very festive!

    US Masala

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  18. Hapy Vishnu to you guys!!This recipe sounds new to me but it looks delicious..love the flowers and the bowl..so beautiful!!

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  19. Happy Vishu to both of you! Like the Spring beauty and the dish is very interesting!

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  20. Happy Vishu! Absolutely delicious dish and wonderful clicks!

    www.appetitetreats.com

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  21. Beautiful presentation and delicious looking dish

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  22. Excellent presentation and a very happy Vishu to you and your family.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  23. a very happy vishu to you and family. Kalan looks so good...we don't get yam or raw plantian here but this is one of my favorites from the sadya so going to try this soon without any veggies. Thks for sharing the recipe. Have a gr8 day!!

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  24. Kuruku kalan adipoli. Happy vishu to you and your family .

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  25. What beautiful shots! The kalan looks yummy too.

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  26. loved the Beautiful clicks....Perfect Kalan for sadya...

    Happy vishu to both f U

    http://panchamrutham.blogspot.com/

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  27. Happy Vishu! The dish looks scrumptious!

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  28. The dish looks great...pics are awesome...love the way u have added flowers in the uruli(copper vessel).My sis in law do that.With some water so that the flowers are floatg.

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  29. Happy vishu wishes to u and ur family..Kurukku kalan looks super irresistible and yummy..

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  30. Lovely pics..wish you a very Happy Vishu!

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  31. vishu aasamsakal dear... snaps are amazing :)

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  32. Kidu kidu kidu chechi!!!! Amazing clicks too

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  33. Happy vishu to all. Fantastic clicks with wonderful traditional recipe

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  34. Happy Vishu to u guys!....wonderful flower kolam!
    the dish looks delicious dear! Enjoy!

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  35. Kolan looks SO delicious Happy Vishu Namitha :)

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  36. Happy Vishu to you and thse pic's are purity!

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  37. Wishing you a happy Vishu..kalan super ayittundu....onnude chooru unnan thonnunnu...:)

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  38. wow yummy ithiri choru kude kittiyal adipoli

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  39. Lovely pics.... Nice traditional recipe.... YUM!

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  40. Adipoli Kalan , lovely pics too

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  41. ho!!! enna kidu pics !!! love this kutti bharani ...njan acahr itu vechekkuva athil ;)...ah pinne chechi aval payasathe patti parayan ini vakkukal illa!!!!

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