Kaalan (Yam-Plantain in Yoghurt-Coconut based gravy)

A "Sadya" is a Banquet or a feast prepared for a special event such as Birthdays, Weddings, or festivities like Vishu and Onam. It is an authentic vegetarian meal comprising of atleast 12 to 24 dishes served on a plantain/banana leaf (see the below picture) and people eat together sitting cross - legged on the floor. There is a specific place for each dish to be served on the plantain leaf.I will try to share the recipes of some of the main dishes made for a Sadya without which any Sadya is incomplete.

"Kaalan" is a one of the vegetarian delight served at a Sadya. It is a thick yoghurt - coconut based gravy cooked with tuber yam and raw plantain. It is a must have curry in a Sadya and is the only dish which is prepared the day before the Sadya as it tastes even better when served the next day. Almost all the Sadya gravies have yoghurt and coconut as their main ingredients but you need sour yoghurt to make Kaalan. Tomorrow is Vishu and I have prepared my Kaalan and have kept it in the fridge only to take it out tomorrow at the time of my Sadya along with other dishes. Happy Vishu!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tuber yam cubed (chena/jammikand/karunaikizhangu)
• 1/2 cup raw plantain cubed (vazhakai/kaaya)
• 1 & 1/2 cup sour curd
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 10-12 fenugreek seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 5-8 curry leaves
• 2 tsp of oil
• pinch of salt

Method:

1. Wash the cubed yam and cubed plantain in a bowl. Heat a saucepan and cook the yam and plantain in it with some water. Add turmeric powder, black pepper and salt in it. Cook till done.
2. While its cooking, grind the coconut and green chillies in a mixer/blender with very little water. Keep aside.
3. Now add the curd into the saucepan with the cooked yam and plantain. Cook in simmer for 8-10 minutes.
4. Now add the coconut paste to it and cook for some more time until the gravy becomes thick. Swith off.
5. In a small pan, fry the fenugreek seeds until brown (without oil). Coarsely pound it with a pestle and mortar and put it in the gravy. Heat oil in the same pan and put the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add in the curry leaves and broken dry red chillies.
6. Add it into the gravy. Kaalan is ready to be served as a side with rice. Best served the next day.