Kaalan

Ingredients

• 2 raw bananas cubed
• 1 cup yam cubed
• 2 cups thick yogurt
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 3 green chillies
• Turmeric
• Coconut oil
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Salt

Method

1. Prepare yam: Peel 200g elephant foot yam and cut into 1-inch cubes. Parboil in salted water 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Make coconut paste: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp cumin and 4 green chillies to a smooth paste.
3. Cook yam in coconut: Add yam to coconut paste in a pan with half cup water. Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until fully tender.
4. Whisk yogurt: Whisk 2 cups thick fresh yogurt until completely smooth. Add half tsp turmeric.
5. Reduce heat to minimum: Lower heat to the very lowest setting before adding yogurt.
6. Add yogurt: Add whisked yogurt to the yam-coconut mixture. Stir continuously and gently.
7. Heat without boiling: Keep stirring on very low heat 4-5 minutes until kaalan is well heated and thickened. Never boil.
8. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add half tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
9. Add tempering: Pour tempering over kaalan and stir gently.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Kaalan should be thick, creamy and tangy. Serve as part of traditional Kerala Onam Sadhya.