Spicy Chickpea Flour And Pepper Curry (Kadalai maavu curry)
This recipe is a trademark of my patti’s (paternal grandmother). My patti was married at the tender young age of 13 and was a fabulous cook. I really don’t know how to classify this recipe – apparently she learned it from her pre-marriage days in Nagpur, but mostly cooked in our family in Chennai. I have googled the phrase kadalai maavu (chickpea flour) and only find the recipe for what is popularly known as Bombay chutney. So this is a truly unique recipe, and I am happy to share it here.I have never seen it at any restaurants either. My patti used to make it with just onions and green chilies, but I have modified it to include different kinds of hot peppers, as well as with just green peppers. Hope you enjoy it as much as our family does! Update: After much googling and research, I have found out that this is called zunka or kandyachya patichi pith perun bhaji! Origins: Maharashtrian cuisine!
Servings Prep Time
4people 15mins
Cook Time
30mins
Servings Prep Time
4people 15mins
Cook Time
30mins
Ingredients
  • 1number big white onionI prefer white onions for this
  • 6 – 8numbers assorted peppersJalapeno, pablano, hungarian wax peppers, green peppers – mix them up for flavors and levels of heat
  • 1cup chickpea flourKadalai maavu in Tamil, besan in Hindi
  • 1-3tsp Red chili powderreduce/increase based on heat preference
  • 2tsp Salt
  • 1/2tsp Hing/asafoetidabe generous with this; it helps with digestion of the chickpea flour
  • 4tsp Cooking oillite tasting olive oil, avocado or any other preferred cooking oil
  • 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
Seasoning Ingredients
  • 1tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1sprig Curry leaves
  • 2tsp white urad dhal/skinned black gram
Instructions
Prep
  1. Chop onions and all the peppers; uniform size would be good Take the chickpea flour, and add the chili powder, turmeric, hing to it and mix it well Gather the seasoning ingredients
Main
  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan or a karahi/vaanali
  2. Add mustard seeds. When they start to sputter, add the curry leaves and the urad dhal and fry until urad dhal turns a reddish brown color
  3. Add the onions, 1/2 tsp of salt and saute until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes
  4. Now add the peppers, the remaining salt and saute until they are cooked, but not too soft, about 8 minutes. How to tell they’re cooked: you should be able to cut it with just a little resistance
  5. Now add the chickpea flour mix and continue to saute. At this point, keep the heat on medium, and stir constantly as the flour could stick to the pan. If the oil doesn’t look like it’s enough, you may add a tsp or so
  6. When the peppers glisten with the oil, and the flour has lost its raw smell, the curry is done.
  7. Turn the heat off, and transfer to the serving bowl
Recipe Notes

Serving Suggestions:
Hands down, this curry is best with puris/rotis, along with a cup of thick yogurt

Substitutions:
Green peppers can be used instead of spicy peppers