Vada Koottu Curry – Trivandrum Sadya Style.
How was your Vishu/Kerala New Year ? Hope you all had a wonderful blessed Vishu. We had a fantastic Vishu this year.
As you all know every year I will keep Vishukani and use it to make mini Vishu Sadya. This year we celebrated with our friends, we did Sadya potluck and was a traditional full-fledge sadya.
So without further ado.., onto the recipe. Vada Koottu Curry is a very popular sadya dish in Trivandrum, Kerala. Vada Koottu Curry is a very delicious dish and quite different from the other Kerala sadya recipes. First time I tasted this recipe when my friend Sowmya made for last Onam get-together.
Needless to say, Vada Koottu Curry was one of the star dish that day. So I got the recipe from her and thought I will post it before this Vishu for you all to try but unfortunately, I was too busy and was not able to post until now but, better late than never right? he he he… Thank you Sowmya for sharing the recipe. This is a less spicy dish and like a meat dish so everyone including children enjoys it. So why not try out this recipe? …don’t forget to give me yours as usual great feedback and comments.
Recipe Video Vada Kootu Curry-Vada Kootukari-Trivandrum Sadya Style
Recipe card for Vada Kootu Curry-Vada Koottukari-Trivandrum Sadya Special
Vada Koottu Curry- Vada Koottukari- Trivandrum Sadya Special
Ingredients
- For Vada
- Whole urad dal: 1/2 cup Soak urad dal in enough water for 3-4 hrs
- Crushed pepper corns: 1/2 tsp Optional
- Ginger- Small Piece finely chopped
- Green Chillie : 2-3 finely chopped
- Curry Leaves: few finely chopped
- Salt – To taste
- Coconut Oil – To deep fry
- For Gravy:
- Potato : 3 small cut into medium cubes
- Onion : 1 small thinly sliced or Small Red Onion : 1 cup (Sliced)
- Green chillies : 2–3 slit
- Crushed ginger : 2 tsp
- Curry leaves : 1 sprig
- Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
- Red chilly powder : 1 tsp.
- Coriander powder : 3 tsp
- Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
- Black Pepper Powder: 1/4 tsp
- Thin coconut milk : 2-3 cups
- Thick coconut milk : 1/2-3/4 cup
- Salt – To taste
- For the Seasoning :
- Coconut oil : 2 tsp
- Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
- Urad Dhal : 1/2 tsp Optional
- Dry red chillies : 3-4 broken
- Shallots/Small Onion: 5-6 sliced
- Curry leaves : a sprig
Instructions
- Soak the urad dal for 3-4 hrs.
- Drain the water and grind the soaked urad dal in a blender adding salt to a fine thick paste. Add only a very little water, the batter should be thick not watery.
- Add 1/2 tsp crushed pepper corns, finely chopped green chillier, ginger, curry leaves and enough salt to the batter.
- Heat oil in a deep pan. Make small balls with the battar. The batter will be sticky, so grease the palm of your hands with water and make the balls.
- Drop the balls into the hot oil, deep fry it till it turns golden brown in colour.
- Transfer it to a kitchen towel and keep it aside. This yields about 20-25 small vadas.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan and add onion, green chilly, crushed ginger, curry leaves and little salt. When onion turn light golden in color.
- Add the cubed potatoes and saute well.
- Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Saute until their raw smell is gone. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.
- Add thin coconut milk and enough salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are cooked at medium heat.
- When they are done, add garam masala powder,black pepper powder and thick coconut milk, a few curry leaves. Bring to a slow boil.
- Add the fried vadas and mix well. Check and adjust salt.
- Switch off and remove it from heat and keep covered for sometime. The fried vadas will absorb some of the gravy.
- Heat another frying pan pour oil, add mustard seeds, (Optional) urad dhal, shallots/small onions, dry red chillies and curry leaves and allow it to splutter. (I have not used urad dhal in this recipe)
- Now add the seasoning to the koottu curry.This curry tends to thicken over time.
- Serve along with Kerala Sadya or plain rice. Enjoy !
Notes
- This curry tends to thicken over time.
- Variations: Instead of coconut milk you can prepare by grinding the roasted grated coconut with allspice masala listed in the recipe.
- Optional: While seasoning you can add 1/2 tsp of urad dhal. It gives little crunchy bites.
If you haven’t tried this Vada Koottu Curry – Trivandrum Sadya Style, what are you waiting for ? Do give it a try, you are going to love this dish. Enjoy! Don’t forget to share your opinions if you get chance to try this.
Bon Appetite!
Sangeetha
