Horse Gram (Ulavalu) Curry
A hearty and nutritious South Indian curry featuring protein-rich horse gram in a flavorful spiced gravy. This traditional recipe combines the earthy flavors of horse gram with aromatic spices and a rich, creamy base, perfect served with rice or roti.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker for cooking horse gram
- Blender or mixer grinder for peanut paste
- Heavy-bottomed pan
- Small bowl for soaking tamarind
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 1 cup (225 g) horse gram - soaked overnight (225 g)
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) tamarind - small lemon-sized ball
- 2 ½ cup water - for tamarind and cooking horse gram
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup (45 g) peanuts - roasted
- 3-4 cloves (10 g) garlic
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (1 g) red chili powder - adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) coriander powder
For Tempering:
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium (135 g) onion - finely chopped
- 10-12 fresh curry leaves - fresh
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cilantro - optional
Instructions
Prepare the Horse Gram:
- Rinse 1 cup horse gram thoroughly and soak in water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Drain the soaked horse gram and pressure cook with 2 cup water for 2-3 whistles or until soft. Reserve the cooking liquid. Set aside.
Prepare the Tamarind:
- Soak 1 tablespoon tamarind in 0.5 cup water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to extract the pulp and strain. Divide the tamarind water into two equal portions - one for grinding and one for the curry.
Make the Peanut Paste:
- Dry roast ¼ cup peanuts in a pan until golden and fragrant if you don't have roasted peanuts. Let them cool.
- In a blender, combine the roasted peanuts, 3-4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, and 1 tablespoon coriander powder. Add half of the tamarind water and grind to a smooth paste.
Prepare the Curry:
- Heat 2 tablespoon peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add 10-12 fresh curry leaves.
- Add 1 medium onion and sauté until golden brown.
- Add the prepared peanut paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears and oil starts to separate.
- Add the remaining half of the tamarind water and 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the cooked horse gram along with its cooking liquid. Mix well and let it simmer.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the curry reaches desired consistency. Adjust salt and spices as needed.
- Garnish with fresh 1 tablespoon cilantro if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.
Video
Notes
Horse gram is known as kulthi dal in Hindi and kollu in Tamil. It's extremely nutritious and high in protein.
The consistency of the curry can be adjusted by adding more water or cooking liquid. For a thicker curry, simmer longer.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook the soaked horse gram in a regular pot for 45-60 minutes until tender.
The peanut paste can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For a richer flavor, you can add a tablespoon of grated coconut to the peanut paste while grinding.
This base curry recipe makes 875 g of curry. This yields 5 servings of 175 g per portion.
NUTRITION
Nutrition Facts
Horse Gram (Ulavalu) Curry
Serving Size
1 bowl (175 g each)
Amount per Serving
Calories
265
% Daily Value*
Protein
12
g
24
%
Carbohydrates
33
g
11
%
Fiber
15
g
63
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Fat
10
g
15
%
Potassium
514
mg
15
%
Sodium
712
mg
31
%
Vitamin D
0
µg
0
%
Calcium
131
mg
13
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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