Pakoda Kurma

Pakoda Kurma is a comforting South Indian curry where crisp chana dal pakodas are soaked in a fragrant coconut-onion gravy. Soak Bengal gram dal for at least 2 hours, then grind it coarsely with green chillies, garlic, sombu (fennel) and salt; mix in chopped onions. Drop loose handfuls into hot oil and fry until golden brown to make the pakodas.

For the kurma, lightly fry onion pieces and green chillies, then blend with coconut, sombu, ginger and garlic into a smooth paste. In a kadai, sauté chopped onions until transparent, add finely chopped tomatoes, then spice with red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Stir in the coconut paste, fry briefly, add a cup of water, and simmer covered for 5–10 minutes. Finish by adding the fried pakodas so they soak up the rich, aromatic gravy.

This Pakoda kurma can be served with roti or fried rice. The pakado in made with green gram dhal. Pakoda can be prepared with besan flour also. Just mix a cup of besan flour, one tablespoon rice flour, pinch of chilli powder and salt with little water. Drop this mixture little by little in the hot oil and fry till it becomes golden brown. Then add this pakoda to the kurma.

Pakoda Kurma Recipe

Pakoda Kurma

Recipe by S Kamala

Course: GraviesCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

Cooking time

30

minutes

This kurma can be served with roti or fried rice. The pakado in made with green gram dhal. But it can be prepared with besan flour also.

Ingredients

• Bengal gram dal –1 cup

• Onions-chopped – 1/2 cup

• Green chillies – 3

• Sombu (Fennel seeds) – ½ teaspoon

• Salt – ½ teaspoon or as per taste

• Oil for deep frying

• For gravy (kurma)

• Onion – 2

• Tomato – 1

• Green chillis – 4

• Fresh ginger – a small piece

• Garlic flakes – 4 to 5

• Garam masala powder-1/2 teaspoon

• Red Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon

• Turmeric powder – a pinch

• Coconut gratings – ½ cup

• Sombu (Fennel seeds) -1/2 teaspoon

• Oil – 2 tablespoon

• Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste

Directions

• Soak bengal gram dhal for atleast two hours. Grind along with green chillies, garlic, sombu and salt to a coarse paste. Add chopped onions and mix well.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and when it is hot, drop handful of dhal paste loosely like pakoda. Fry till it turns golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
• For kurma
• Fry one onion cut into small pieces and green chillies in little oil.
• Mix coconut, sombu, ginger, garlic and fried onion and green chillies and make a fine paste.
• In a kadai add the oil and when it is hot add chopped onions and fry till it turns transparent.
• Now add tomato chopped finely. Mix well.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt.
• Stir well and then add the ground coconut-onion paste and fry well Add one cup water.
• Cover with lid and cook for 5 to ten minutes. Remove from stove and add the fried pakodas.

Notes

• Pakoda can be prepared with besan flour also. Just mix a cup of besan flour, one tablespoon rice flour, pinch of chilli powder and salt with little water. Drop this mixture little by little in the hot oil and fry till it becomes golden brown. Then add this pakoda to the kurma.