Kerala Olan Recipe

Olan is a super simple pumpkin dish from the state of Kerala. It is usually part of most Feast. Onam sadya usually will have Olan in it. It goes great with Pulisheri.



This month when Magic Mingle was announced - Pumpkin and chillies, this was the first thing that came to my mind. It is ideal cause it is ofcourse a pumpkin dish, but the beauty of it is that Green chillies and curry leaf are the only spices.

Then you might wonder why I am posting on the last day. Reason is simple. It took me 3 trips to the store to get pumpkin. What luck :-(

Ingredients

Pumpkin 4 cups
Cow Peas (Van Payar) 1/2 cup
Green Chilli 4
Coconut milk 2 cups
Curry Leaf few
Coconut Oil 1 tbsp
Salt



Method of Preparation

1. Soak the peas overnight and cook it in pressure cooker. I cooked for only 1 whistle to get a cooked but still not mushy peas. You can also used black eyed peas as a substitute. Drain and keep aside. I save the water and add it back to the curry.

2. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Ideally white pumpkin should be used. Yellow can also be used. Some people mix the two in equal quantities. My mom made it with yellow pumpkin.

3. Add the pumpkin and slit green chillies to a pan. Add about a cup of water. Cook in medium flame covered till the pumpkin is cooked, but still retains its shape. Most of the water was drained for me by this time.

4. Add the cooked cow peas, coconut milk and salt. Add the reserved water as needed.

5. Simmer. Do not cook in high heat after coconut milk is added to any dish as it will curdle.

6. Switch off and season. Take a small pan. Add coconut oil. You can use any oil, but the coconut oil gives it its unique taste. Add curry leaves and add to the curry. You can add curry leaves directly with the peas and then finally add the coconut oil just to the top of the curry

Serve with rice.

Linking this to Magic Mingle - Pumpkin and Chillies

Linking this to Lets Cook - Lentils and Legumes Event by Radhika
Linking this to Onam Special @ Sharan's Samayalarai

Linking this to South Indian Cooking - Event by Anu, Hosted by Sangee