KAALAN - A Coimbatore Street Food with Mushroom

This is a very famous road side snack in Coimbatore which can be made with mushrooms or Cauliflower. I did my college from Coimbatore(2001 - 2008) and this was my  favorite snack at that time.  This can be served as a side dish with chappathi / roti. Don't confuse this dish with Authentic Kerala Sadhya Dish - Kalan which is a yogurt based curry.

 

Coimbatore Street Food - Kaalan Chat

After starting my blog in 2009, i tried to make Kaalan once. I followed the same 3 steps which that old street vendor in Coimbatore used to do. 1. Batter fry the mushrooms, 2. add some aromatic stock and 3. a final touch with onion and some spices. I followed like that  But still something was missing. Then i read online that nutmeg is the main ingredient in Kaalan which i never used. The lady who uploaded this tip (Ramya) got this information from a roadside Vendor who is making Kaalan for years. Hooray!!!! i got the secret ingredient, tried again with the new ingredient and Viola!! My favorite Kalan was ready in 20min. :). I dedicate this recipe to my biggest Kaaln Lover Nish (my sister) and my close friends Milsha, Sisira and Sunendra. Miss you gals :(

How to make Coimbatore street food Kalan at home

cooking time : 20min, Preparation time : 15min Serves : 3adults

Step 1 - Prepare the Stock :

2cups water or 16oz vegetable stock

Oil : 1tsp

Onion : 1/2

Dried  red chillies : 2

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp

Bay Leaf : 1

Ginger : 1/4inch piece

Garlic : 2cloves

Whole spices ( Coriander Seeds : 1/2tbsp, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder , small piece of mace, A small stick of cinnamon, 1 cardamom, 1 cloves, 1/4tsp black pepper corns, 1/4tsp Cumin, 1/4tsp Fennel ) or you can add 1/2tsp Garam Masala plus nutmeg powder (Secret ingredient)

Salt 

Directions :  Add oil and add red chilies, whole spices, bay leaf and saute for one minute. Now add onion, ginger, garlic and saute till translucent. Add turmeric powder along with 4 cups of water / vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Now allow it to cool and drain. This is the base for your Kaalan. 

Step 2 - Prepare the Batter fried Mushrooms :

Button Mushroom : 16oz box / 570g, finely chopped

All Purpose Flour (Maida) : 1/2Cup

Cornflour : 1/4cup

Chilly powder : 1tsp 

Turmeric powder : 1/4tsp

Garam Masala : 1/2tsp

Grated ginger / Crushed Ginger : 1/2inch piece

Grated Garlic / Crushed Garlic : 3cloves

Red Food color

Egg : 1(optional)

Lemon juice / Vinegar : 1tsp

Salt

Oil : 2tbsp *

Directions : Mix all ingredients except oil and mushrooms in a wide bowl. Add 1tbsp water(or more if you are not using egg) and make a batter to fry the mushrooms. Now add the mushrooms and combine well. Heat oil in a non stick pan and deep fry them.(*I used 2tbsp oil and shallow fried the mushrooms by spreading in one layer). Drain the excess oil using paper towel.

step 3 - Prepare the final thick Kalan :

approximately 2 cups of drained  stock we prepared from step 1

Onion : 1, finely chopped

Green Chillies : 2 finely chopped

Red chilly powder : 1tsp

Garam Masala  / Eastern meat masala : 1tsp

Coriander leaves : 1/4cup, finely chopped

Salt 

Directions : 

1. Heat the same vessel from step 2 and add the fried mushrooms. Now add 1cup drained stock we prepared in step 1 and mix well with the mushrooms. Using the spatula stir continuously ad scramble the fried mushrooms. You should work quickly to separate the mushrooms and stir fry well. When the water is absorbed add the remaining 1cup stock and repeat the same process and your final result will be bite sized fried mushrooms with a soggy texture. Make sure your Kaalan is not dry. So Before the water evaporates, add remaining ingredients listed under Step 3 - and stir fry for one minute. Serve hot with some extra onions and coriander leaves on top.

Similar Recipes :

• Mushroom Butter Masala
• Chilly Muhroom
• Mushroom Piralan
• Pepper Mushroom stir fry

Enjoy,

Lena