Chickpea simmered in coconut milk with ginger-garlic and spices. Brown Chickpea is mostly preferred for this recipe. Puttu with kadala curry is a comfort breakfast for any Malayalee. It can also be served with Idiyappam, Appam and any Indian bread.
Clean chickpea and soak it in 2 cups water overnight for around 10 - 11 hours. The chickpeas will expand while it's soaked, so be sure to use a large enough bowl for soaking.
Add chickpea with the rest of soaked water into the cooker along with turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt (ingredients listed under Pressure cook). Keep the chickpea drown in at least 1 inch of water above its level. So, if needed add extra water accordingly. Chickpea should be cooked it until it's done. It will take up to 4-5 whistles.
Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onion, green chili, curry leaves and salt into it. Saute it well until onion is soft and translucent. Adding salt helps the onion saute faster.
Grind ginger and garlic. Add ginger - garlic paste and saute well.
Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, aniseed powder and garam masala and then continue sauteing. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook it until tomatoes are done.
Add thick coconut milk and coriander leaves. Add coriander leaves only if you like the flavor.
Add cooked chickpea and adjust salt. Stir it and bring it to boil.
Seasoning - Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, chopped shallots and dried red chilly. Saute it for a minute and add it to the curry. Enjoy with puttu, idiyappam, Appam, porotta or any other Indian bread:)