Kumbakonam Kadappa – Thanjavur Kadappa Kuzhambu – Kadappa Chutney – How to make Kumbakonam Kadappa
Kumbakonam Kadappa is a special type of kurma kuzhambu / chutney that is served as an accompaniment to Idlis and Kal Dosas in and around Thanjore District. These are very popular around Kumbakom, Mayavaram surroundings and every petty restaurant, hotels, road side shop carry this item which is not only enjoyed by locals but also preferred by visitors to these towns.
Mostly its termed as #kadappa chutney by locals, also goes by its famous term #thanjavurkadappa or #kumbakonamkadappa. It is primarily a thick coconut lentil based stew, served as a side for piping hot idlis… while you also serve it as a side dish for kal dosai, poori, aapam, idiyappam!
My in-laws are settled in Thanjore and I owe a big thanks for introducing this scrumptious gravy…. her recipe is basically yellow moong, mashed potato, coconut base… and includes onion and ginger garlic!
Try our POTATO KURMA TOMATO KURMA CHANNA KURMA
Kumbakonam Kadappa
Ingredients
Ingredients to grind – Coconut base
- 1/2 cup Grated coconut or 5 badhai / pieces
- 4 each Green Chilli spicy
- 2 teaspoon Poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 4 each Cloves
- 2 small Cinnamon
- 1 clove Garlic tiny
- 1 teaspoon Roasted gram use 2 whole cashews to keep it rich
- 1/2 cup Water for blending
Ingredients – for gravy
- 1/4 cup Split Yellow Moong dal / Pachai paruppu/ Pasi paruppu Soak for 30 minutes
- 1 large Potato
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes chopped
- 1 each Bay leaf
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves for garnish
- 3 each Curry leaves chopped for garnish
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Oil for saute
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil optional, for drizzling
- 1 cup Water for gravy
Instructions
Prep work
- Soak yellow moong dal for 30 minutes, rinse and pressure cook along with potato for 3 whistles.
- Make a thick paste using coconut, green chili, garlic, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon and roasted gram using little water.
- Set this coconut paste aside.
Saute & Cook
- Heat oil in a sauce pan, season with bay leaf, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves.
- Saute onions for few minutes. Fry until soft and translucent.
- Add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook until soft.
- Mash the moong dal and add it to the onion tomato mixture.
- Dilute this with a cup of water to bring to the desired pouring consistency.
- Add boiled potatoes and bring it to a light boil. Either chop as desired or roughly crumble.
- Reduce flame to low and then add the coconut paste. Simmer for few minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and curry leaves.
- Drizzle little coconut oil for some extra flavor. This step is optional.
- Serve with steaming hot idlis, kal dosais, idiyappam or appam!
Video
Notes
- Traditional kadappa is made with just potato and lentils in coconut gravy, which looks pale white as it does not include turmeric, chili powder and any other sour content like curd, tomatoes and lemon juices.
- Adding to much garlic while grinding coconut can change the taste completely, so use only a tiny clove of garlic.
Try our
Notes
- Some of the variations to this gravy – Adding Pottukadalai / Roasted gram is a must, cahews and poppy seeds are added to keep it rich.
- Traditional kadappa is made with just potato and lentil in coconut gravy, which looks pale white as it does not include turmeric, chili powder and any other sour content like curd, tomatoes and lemon juices. You can play with it, add little turmeric to give a yellow tinge.
- Replace Potato with steamed mixed veggies for variation.
- Tanjore Brahmin community makes this gravy excluding ginger garlic paste, garlic and onion.
Comments
20 responses to “Kumbakonam Kadappa Recipe – Thanjavur Kadappa”
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nice recipe
god bless u
Hi Amazing dish. it tasted awesome with dosas!!!
Tried this recipe for the first time.It was absolutely tasty.Got very good comments from my guests.Thanks a bunch Mullai for sharing such authentic recipes.
Came out very well …. Goes with kal dosa as well as appam .. Tks!!! – Susan
Tried it cameout superb Mullai. Thanx for ur receipe…
Have a great day
Hello Mullai..
Tried this recipe..It was great,,thank u so much..- sandhya
Hello Mullai
Nice receipe. Thanks for your posting. I am from muthupet near Pattukottail. My mom makes this one also. I tried once this in Kumbakonam one of the famous restaurant.
super
Ma’am, my mom used to do this kadappa. Sometimes she use moong dal and sometimes Toor Dal also…Both dal’s are good.
Have a great day
Mullai,
I tried kadappa yesterday. Came out delicious. The blend of dhals and kormas was different and unique. Could not find the presence of dhal but can be differentiated in taste compared to korma. This is my lunch pack today with idlies. Thanx for sharing.
different recipe….sounds great…will give it a try
Sadhana Raveen
Hi Mullai, I belong to Tanjore Brahmin community….we prepare it in a similar way….we don use fennels,cloves,cinnamon and bay leaves….it still tastes yummy…wil like to try your version…one more thing we add pottukadalai in the grinding ingredients and use only potatoes…i thought nobody knows about this super special side dish until i saw your posting…..
Mullai,
thanks for kadappa i will try this with my idli
One of my Mom’s special, goes very well with dosais, mom used to do with potatoes n dals, urs is quiet interesting, will give a try soon..thanks for sharing..
Hi Priya.. they call this kurma kuzhambu in Pondy side, am I right??
Yea Mullai, but my dad's relatives are from Kumbakonam side, mom learned from them, so we always used to call this as kadappa..
Mullai,
This name is new to me. Adding moong dhal and then adding the ground paste at last makes the dish taste different compared to kurmas. Will try soon and let you know. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Abi,
Quite interesting right??? You wouldn't feel much of the dal smell after finishing the kurma, nobody would ever know whats included. I felt the same way when I first tasted this at my in laws place.
En ooru spl. koduthu irukkenga….thanks Mullai….i kept in my mind to post this recipe….will try ur version too…thanks again.