Kadappa

Kadappa

I was planning on making  a new variety of dosa and was sure I did not want a chutney to go with it. As it was the first time I was making this type of dosa, I wanted to make sure I have an interesting side dish. I know, trialing to dishes in one meal is a bit of risk but that occurred to me only after I made both of them. I looked for side dish for dosa on google and came across lots of familiar dishes. One dish stood out though – Kumbakonam kadappa. Kumbakonam is the town from which my father and father-in-law hail from. I have been to the place so many times and never once have I heard of this dish. Ofcourse, every time we went there we will go for just the same restaurant which served more of the Brahmin food and I am guessing kadappa id not fit that category. Anyway, I was a bit disappointed that I had no idea about this dish and wanted to try this. Result was awesome. Such a simple dish with simple flavours and it went very well with dosa. It had just a touch of coconut, touch of the aniseed flavour, little ehat from the chillies and very slight tartness from the tomato. It was wonderful! I think this is a great side dish for rotis, rice, idlis, dosa, idiapam and even puttu. For a western palatte, this could make a great meal on its own as it has protein, carbohydrates and other vitamins. Here you go...

2 medium potatoes or 1 large, boiled well

¼ cup mung dal, well cooked

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 bay leaves and a cinnamon stick

4 teaspoons coconut (I used dessicated)

Dash of caraway seeds (use more if you like aniseed flavour)

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 onion, sliced thinly

3 green chillies, slit

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

1 tomato, cubed

Salt to taste

Cooking oil (coconut oil preferably)

Heat some oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and mustard seeds. Allow seeds to crackle

Add the onions and sauté for couple of minutes

Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies and cook till raw smell goes

Crush the potatoes by hand and add. Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the mashed dal and some water and required salt

Allow to boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes but make sure it does not burn. You could add more water if needed. Dal and potatoes are thickeners so the dish will thicken as it cools.

Grind the caraway seeds, coconut and poppy seeds with required water and add it to the mixture and boil for couple of minutes. Serve!