Kumbakonam Kadappa

South Indian mess (hotel) foods are simply amazing. Especially the taste and the ingredients they add to enhance the taste. Of such recipe is Kumbakonam special Kadappa. When I study my undergrade in Tiruchy, atleast once in a month, I had a chance to taste yummy hostel foods. (Thanks to my Junior friends, who secretly help me to enter collage hostel without informing hostel warden :p ). Kumbakonam kadappa is an authentic onion-garlic- coconut based gravy cooked with potatoes & lentils. Its a perfect accompaniment to Idly / Dosa / Poori. I made this recipe bit spicy by adding more masalas, but its optional & you can less it if you dont want it to be too spicy. Lets check the yummy recipe.

Ingredients :

Moong dhal - 1/2 cup

Potato - 2

Onion - 2 Medium

Carrot - 1/4 cup (Sliced lengthwise, optional)

Green chillis - 3

Cinnamon -1 piece

Bay leaf - 1

Cloves -2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 3 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

To grind  :

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 4 cloves

Green chili - 1

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Roasted gram /Pottu kadalai - 1/4 tsp

Method :

Wash and Peel off the potato skin. Cut this into cubes.

Wash and dry roast the moong dhal for a minute. Pressure cook it together with cubed potatoes.Once done mash it with laddle head. Keep it aside.

In a mixie, grind coconut, garlic, green chilli, fennel seeds & roasted gram. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water and make it as smooth paste. Keep it aside.

In a pan, add oil, followed by spluttering Mustard seeds and bay leaf. Now add cinnamon & cloves. Fry it for a while, followed by adding onions. Saute till onion turns glossy. Now add carrots (optional) and sprinkle some water to cook fast. 

Now add the coconut ground masala & mashed potato-dhal to it. Add 1 1/2 cup of water and adjust the salt to taste. Mix it well till it start to boil or till it reaches gravy consistency. Keep stirring in between and always do it in low medium flame to avoid burning. Add 1/2 cup of water (if necessary) if the gravy is too thick. Switch off the flame. Check for the salt and finally squeeze 1/2 lemon (3 tbsp of lemon juice). Mix it well and garnish with curry leaves.

Serve it with Dosa / Poori.