Kalan Recipe | Kerala Kalan Curry
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/cb850e36-7e69-4ee9-919a-67c02107f1ec
Original source: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/kalan-recipe/
Recipe image: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/kalan-recipe-1.jpg

Kalan is a tasty preparation of curd or buttermilk made with vegetables like yam and raw banana or plantain. The subtly spiced Kalan Recipe from the Kerala cuisine is not just delicious, but very soothing and comforting. It is also one of the dishes that is served in the grand feast of the Onam sadya.
Yield: 4
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT30M

Ingredients
- 1 to 1.25 cups elephant foot yam (- chopped in small cubes (suran) - 150 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water (or add as required)
- salt (as required)
- ½ cup coconut (- fresh, grated and tightly packed)
- 2 to 3 green chilies (- chopped or 1 teaspoon, chopped, add less or more according to taste)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ to ⅓ cup water (- for grinding)
- 1 cup curd ((yogurt) - sour tasting)
- ¼ cup water (- to be added later, add only if required and if the gravy is very thick)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (- lightly crushed)
- 1 to 2 dried red chilies (- stems and seeds removed)
- 10 to 12 curry leaves

Instructions
1. [Cooking veggies] Firstly peel, rinse and then chop the elephant foot yam (suran) in cubes or squares. You will need about 1 to 1.25 cups of chopped suran. Take the chopped suran in a pan.
2. [Cooking veggies] Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ to ¾ teaspoon crushed black pepper. Also add ¼ teaspoon salt.
3. [Cooking veggies] Pour ½ cup water. The water should just about cover the suran cubes.
4. [Cooking veggies] If using plantain (unripe banana), then you can add ¾ cup of cubed plantains along with ¾ cup of cubed yam.
5. [Cooking veggies] Add water just about covering them.
6. [Cooking veggies] Now continuing with step 3 - after adding water in the pan, cover the pan with a lid and keep it on a stove top. Cook on low to medium heat till the suran becomes tender and gets cooked.
7. [Cooking veggies] Do check at intervals. In case the water dries up and the suran pieces are not cooked, then add some more water. Cover and continue to cook.
8. [Cooking veggies] Check if the yam is cooked by cutting it with a knife or passing a knife through a few cubes. The knife should pass easily.
9. [Grinding coconut paste and whisking curd] Meanwhile whilst the suran is getting cooked, take ½ cup tightly packed fresh grated coconut in a grinder jar. Add 2 to 3 green chilies (chopped) and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
10. [Grinding coconut paste and whisking curd] Add ¼ to ⅓ cup water and grind to a smooth paste and keep aside.
11. [Grinding coconut paste and whisking curd] Take 1 cup sour curd in a bowl and beat it with a spoon or wired whisk till smooth. You can also use fresh curd instead of sour curd.
12. [Making kalan curry] Once the yam is cooked and tender, then it is time to add the coconut paste. If there is water in the pan, then evaporate it without the lid. There should be no water in the pan, before you proceed to the next step.Or you could opt to strain the cooked yam using a fine strainer, draining all the liquids.
13. [Making kalan curry] Now add the ground coconut paste and mix very well. Keep the heat to a low while adding coconut paste.
14. [Making kalan curry] Then add the beaten curd and mix again.
15. [Making kalan curry] If the gravy looks very thick, then you can add ¼ cup water. Mix well.
16. [Making kalan curry] Season with salt. Do keep in mind that while cooking suran, some salt was added.
17. [Making kalan curry] Bring the curry to a gentle boil or simmer on a low to medium-low heat. Once the curry comes to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat.
18. [Making tempering] In a tadka pan or a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Keep the heat to a low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds.
19. [Making tempering] Let the mustard seeds crackle.
20. [Making tempering] Then add 1 to 2 red chilies (seeds removed) and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Fry till the red chilies change color. Do not burn them.
21. [Making tempering] Next add ¼ teaspoon methi seeds which have been slightly crushed in a mortar-pestle.
22. [Making tempering] Mix and turn off the heat.
23. [Making tempering] Pour the tempering mixture in the kalan curry. Cover with a lid and let the flavors mingle for 4 to 5 minutes.
24. [Making tempering] Later mix well and serve Kalan with steamed rice.