Kollu paruppu kadayal | Horse gram curry – Kollu paruppu kadayal is a traditional recipe commonly followed in Tamil Nadu especially Kongunad region. Horse gram / kollu paruppu is helpful in weight reduction and extremely popular among weight watchers. But it has a tendency to increase body heat and hence has to be paired with food with cooling properties like buttermilk.
Kollu paruppu kadayal / Horse gram curry is a flavorful curry made with freshly roasted and ground spices and boiled horse gram. This curry goes exceptionally well with cooked white rice topped with ghee or gingelly oil. It can also be had as a side dish with a variety rice like coconut rice.
How to clean horse gram / kollu paruppu?
Spread the horse gram in a single layer and look for tiny mud particles or small stones. Remove them and wash them 2 to 3 times in water.
How to cook horse gram in a pressure cooker?
After washing, soak the horse gram for at least 20 minutes. If possible and time permits you can soak for an hour. Soaking reduces the cooking time to a great extent. The ratio of horse gram to water is 1:3. That is if you take half a cup of horse gram you have to add 1 ½ cups of water. Pressure cook on high flame for 5 whistles and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Now horse gram will be cooked perfectly to be used in any recipe.
How do I know horse gram is cooked?
The horsegram must be able to mash between the thumb and forefinger. This is the doneness test. If the horse gram is not cooked properly, it might be of older stock. Older or aged pulses and grains take longer to cook. So close the pressure cooker and cook again on medium flame for 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.
Kollu paruppu kadayal | Horse gram curry
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Pan
- 1 Blender or wooden mathu
Ingredients
For cooking kollu paruppu/horsegram
- ⅓ cup horse gram cleaned, washed & soaked
- 1 to mato chopped
- 10 to 15 shallots or 1 small onion
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- Salt to taste
For dry roasting
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp urad dal
- ½ tsp chana dal
- 2 dried red chillies
For tempering
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 dried red chili optional
Instructions
Cooking kollu paruppu / horse gram
- Check for small stones and wash the horse gram / kollu paruppu thoroughly. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. If time permits, soak for 1 hour.
- In a pressure cooker, take the soaked horse gram, tomatoes, shallots, garlic cloves, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
- Close and pressure cook on high flame for 5 whistles and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the pressure cooker and check for doneness.
- Take the excess water into a separate bowl. Do not discard this water. It can be used to make kollu rasam or even might be needed while blending at the last step.
- Take the cooked horse gram and set it aside. Now let’s dry roast the needed spices.
Dry roasting the spices
- Heat a pan on medium flame. Once the pan is hot,lower the flame. Add coriander seeds, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Dry roast them on low flame till aromatic.
- Now add urad dal and chana dal. Roast the dals on low flame till they are slightly browned.
- Lastly add red chillies and switch off the stove. The red chillies will puff up slightly in the remnant heat. Let the spices cool down.
Making kollu paruppu kadayal / horse gram curry
- In a mixer jar add the roasted spices.
- Blend the spices coarsely.
- To the same jar add the cooked horse gram and pulse for a few minutes.
- The horse gram should be coarsely blended. You should not blend it to a smooth paste. Just one or two pulses are sufficient.
- If you can, use a traditional wooden ladle called mathu to mash the horse gram.
Tempering
- Tempering this dish is totally optional.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds crackle add curry leaves. You can add one or two red chillies at this stage. Switch off the stove.
- Pour over the mashed horse gram or add the mashed horse gram into the pan and mix well.
- Serve with piping hot rice topped with ghee or gingelly oil.
Notes
- Always buy fresh produce of horse gram and check for stones and mud particles.
- Soaking greatly reduces the cooking time. So try to soak the horse gram before cooking whenever possible.
- Tempering is optional.
- Horse gram curry / kollu paruppu kadayal doesn’t store well. Have it within 4 hours of cooking or refrigerate immediately for 1 day maximum.
Cooking instructions with step by step pictures
Cooking kollu paruppu / horse gram
Check for small stones and wash the horse gram / kollu paruppu thoroughly. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. If time permits, soak for 1 hour.
In a pressure cooker, take the soaked horse gram, tomatoes, shallots, garlic cloves, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
Close and pressure cook on high flame for 5 whistles and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Open the pressure cooker and check for doneness.
Take the excess water into a separate bowl. Do not discard this water. It can be used to make kollu rasam or even might be needed while blending at the last step.
Take the cooked horse gram and set it aside. Now let’s dry roast the needed spices.
Dry roasting the spices
Heat a pan on medium flame. Once the pan is hot,lower the flame. Add coriander seeds, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Dry roast them on low flame till aromatic.
Now add urad dal and chana dal. Roast the dals on low flame till they are slightly browned.
Lastly add red chillies and switch off the stove. The red chillies will puff up slightly in the remnant heat. Let the spices cool down.
Making kollu paruppu kadayal / horse gram curry
In a mixer jar add the roasted spices.
Blend the spices coarsely.
To the same jar add the cooked horse gram and pulse for a few minutes.
The horse gram should be coarsely blended. You should not blend it to a smooth paste. Just one or two pulses are sufficient.
If you can, use a traditional wooden ladle called mathu to mash the horse gram.
Tempering
Tempering this dish is totally optional.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds crackle add curry leaves. You can add one or two red chillies at this stage. Switch off the stove.
Pour over the mashed horse gram or add the mashed horse gram into the pan and mix well.
Serve with piping hot rice topped with ghee or gingelly oil.
Recipe notes
- Always buy fresh produce of horse gram and check for stones and mud particles.
- Soaking greatly reduces the cooking time. So try to soak the horse gram before cooking whenever possible.
- Tempering is optional.
- Horse gram curry / kollu paruppu kadayal doesn’t store well. Have it within 4 hours of cooking or refrigerate immediately for 1 day maximum.