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Kerala / South India · Indian

Koottu Curry (Kerala Chickpeas and Vegetables with Roasted Coconut)

A hearty, mildly sweet sadya dish of black chickpeas, raw banana, and yam in a ground-coconut base, crowned with roasted coconut and a little jaggery. Substantial, nutty, and a quiet Onam favourite.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 22, 2026

A bowl of hearty Kerala koottu curry with black chickpeas, yam, and plantain coated in coconut and topped with roasted coconut and curry leaves, on a banana leaf.

Koottu curry is a substantial Kerala sadya dish of black chickpeas (kadala) with raw banana and yam in a ground-coconut and black-pepper base, lightly sweetened and finished with roasted coconut. Its heartiness rounds out the lighter feast curries.

Yield
Serves 4–6
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Difficulty
Intermediate

Koottu curry is the hearty one on the Kerala sadya — black chickpeas with raw banana and yam, bound in a peppery ground-coconut base and crowned, like erissery, with a tempering of roasted coconut. Substantial and nutty, it gives the feast some ballast among the lighter, soupier dishes.

Chickpeas first, then the coconut

Cook the black chickpeas tender before they join the yam and plantain, then bind everything in a coconut-cumin paste with plenty of crushed pepper. A small spoon of jaggery rounds the edges — but koottu curry is savoury, only faintly sweet.

The roasted-coconut crown

The finish is the same move that defines erissery: grated coconut roasted golden in coconut oil with mustard seeds, then folded through. Take it golden and fragrant, never burnt, and let the dish rest a few minutes so the aroma settles.

Serve it with erissery and avial; the full leaf is in our Onam sadya guide.

Ingredients

Serves
4

For the curry

  • 1/2 cup black chickpeas (kadala), soaked overnight and cooked tender Brown/black chana; cook until soft before starting. White chickpeas work but black are traditional.
  • 2 cups raw banana (plantain) and elephant-foot yam, cubed
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, crushed
  • 1 tsp jaggery (optional) A small amount rounds the dish; koottu curry is only faintly sweet.
  • salt

For the coconut paste

  • 3/4 cup grated coconut (fresh)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 green chilies

For the roasted-coconut finish

  • 1/3 cup grated coconut (fresh)
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Method

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  1. Cook the yam and plantain with turmeric, crushed pepper, salt, and a little water until tender, then add the cooked black chickpeas.

    Why: The chickpeas are pre-cooked; the vegetables cook in fresh water so the dish stays dry-ish and the flavours stay clean.

  2. Grind the coconut with cumin and green chili to a coarse-ish paste, stir in with the optional jaggery, and simmer until thick.

    Why: The ground coconut binds the chickpeas and vegetables; jaggery just rounds the edges — koottu curry is savoury, only faintly sweet.

  3. Separately roast the finishing coconut in coconut oil with mustard seeds until golden and fragrant, add curry leaves.

    Why: As in erissery, the roasted-coconut tempering is the crowning aroma — take it golden, not burnt.

  4. Fold the roasted-coconut tempering through the curry and rest a few minutes before serving.

    Why: Resting lets the toasty coconut perfume settle through the whole dish.

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Variations

  • With ash gourd

    Add ash gourd alongside the yam and plantain for a lighter, juicier koottu curry.

  • White chickpeas

    Use white chickpeas if black aren't available — milder, but the dish still works.

Serving & Storage

A hearty, nutty dish on the sadya, eaten with rice; its substance balances the thinner curries. Good with red rice on an ordinary day too.

Pairs with: Steamed rice, Avial, Pappadam.

Storage: Keeps 2–3 days refrigerated and reheats well; refresh with a spoon of roasted coconut if you like.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 3/4 cup)

Calories
230
Protein
8 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
11 g
Fiber
7 g
Sugar
5 g
Sodium
300 mg

Notable micronutrients: Iron, Fiber, Potassium

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is koottu curry different from erissery?

Both use a ground-coconut base and a roasted-coconut finish, but koottu curry is built on black chickpeas with yam and plantain and is savoury and peppery, while erissery centres on sweet pumpkin and is softer and sweeter.

Do I have to use black chickpeas?

They're traditional and give the best texture and nutty flavour, but white chickpeas work in a pinch. Either way, cook them tender before they go in.

Is it sweet?

Only faintly. The optional teaspoon of jaggery just rounds the dish — koottu curry is a savoury, hearty curry, not a sweet one.

What to drink with this

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