Olan is one of the traditional and popular Kerala dish. It's usually made for all the festive occasions, especially for the Onam Sadya (Onasadya). It's made using pumpkins, cow peas and coconut milk. With the flavor of coconut, green chili and curry leaves this is very tasty stew served as an accompaniment with rice.
Kerala Olan is a traditional dish made during Onasadya. It’s usually made with white pumpkin (Ash-Gourd or Kumbalanga), Red Cow Peas and Coconut Milk. This is mild and tasty stew served usually for the Onam Sadya. With the combination of curry leaves, coconut milk, green chili and coconut oil, this is very flavorful and tasty. This goes very well with Sambar or Mor Curry
We can very much use canned coconut milk available in the shops. This saves lot of time. But if you would like to try the traditional way,
Take two cups of grated coconut
Add 1/2 cup of warm water and grind it to smooth paste using mixer grinder
Squeeze the paste to get the thick milk – This is “Thick Milk” which we will add to the olan at last
Now, add the squeezed coconut to the mixer grinder again. Add one cup of water and grind it again. Extract the coconut milk from this paste. This is “Thin Milk” which we are going to add at first while making the olan.
Do not overcook the Cow Peas and Pumpkin. Please take care of this while cooking them.
Instead of Red Cow Peas you can also use White Cow Peas.
You can use 1/2 the quantity of Pumpkin (yellow) and 1/2 the quantity of ash-gourd.
Olan is one of the traditional and popular Kerala dish. It's usually made for all the festive occasions, especially for the Onam Sadya (Onasadya). It's made using pumpkins, cow peas and coconut milk. With the flavor of coconut, green chili and curry leaves this is very tasty stew served as an accompaniment with rice.
Soak the Karamani in the water overnight. (minimum 6 hours)
Cooking the Karamani (Cow peas)
Next day, Drain the water and rinse the Karamani again. Drain extra water. Add ½ tsp of salt.
Take this to a pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and pressure cook over 1 whistle. Since we have soaked the Karamani already, it will get cooked over just 1 whistle.
Once the pressure is released, check if the Karamani is cooked and keep it aside.
Chopping the vegetable
Remove the skin of the ash gourd (white pumpkin) and cube it into medium size pieces. Keep the chopped vegetable in the water.
Cooking Olan
Add the cooked karamani to a pan.
Next, add the chopped ash gourd cubes to the pan.
Also add thin coconut milk. Cover the pan, keep the flame in medium and allow the vegetable to get cooked in the coconut milk.
In between, please check if the ash gourd is cooking and add more water / coconut milk
Once the ashgourd is cooked completely, add slit green chili, sprig of curry leaves and salt. Give a good stir.
Now add the thick coconut milk. Keep the olan in low flame for another couple of minutes and give it a good mix. Make sure that we don't bring the mixture to boil
Finally garnish with coconut oil and few more curry leaves.
Relish the delicious Olan with Sambar or Mor Curry and enjoy this delicious Olan!
Video
Notes
You can also add Yellow Pumpkin to the Olan. Instead of only Ash-gourd, you can add 1/2 quantity of Yellow Pumpkin and 1/2 quantity of Ash-gourd
Do not overcook the cow peas. Instead of cow peas, you can also add black eyed pea.
Do not overcook the pumpkins
I have used the store bought tinned coconut milk. Traditionally we grind the coconut and extract the coconut milk. If you have a coconut, use 1 coconut to grind and extract the milk.
Once the thick coconut milk is added, do not bring it to boil. Just mix the mixture while in the flame
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts
Kerala Olan Recipe | Sadya Recipe
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup)
Calories 43Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Method to make Olan with step by step pictures :
SOAKING KARAMANI (COW PEAS)
Soak the Karamani in the water overnight. (minimum 6 hours)
COOKING THE KARAMANI (COW PEAS)
Next day, Drain the water and rinse the Karamani again. Drain extra water. Add ½ tsp of salt.
Take this to a pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and pressure cook over 1 whistle. Since we have soaked the Karamani already, it will get cooked over just 1 whistle.
Once the pressure is released, check if the Karamani is cooked and keep it aside.
CHOPPING THE ASH-GOURD
Remove the skin of the ash gourd (white pumpkin) and cube it into medium size pieces. Keep the chopped vegetable in the water.
COOKING OLAN
Add the cooked karamani to a pan.
Next, add the chopped ash gourd cubes to the pan.
Also add thin coconut milk. Cover the pan, keep the flame in medium and allow the vegetable to get cooked in the coconut milk.
In between, please check if the ash gourd is cooking and add more water / coconut milk. Once the ashgourd is cooked completely, add slit green chili, sprig of curry leaves and salt. Give a good stir.
Now add the thick coconut milk. Keep the olan in low flame for another couple of minutes and give it a good mix. Make sure that we don’t bring the mixture to boil
Finally garnish with coconut oil and few more curry leaves.
Relish the delicious Olan with Sambar or Mor Curry and enjoy this delicious Olan!
Hi I am palakkati but never seen anyone so far using tumeric for OLAN Is it some other version? Olan is usually white in colour and the pumpkin and winter melon are thinly sliced. Not in big chunks
My mother ususlly made Olan using AAVIN milk instead COCOANUT MILK and it gives the same taste as well as of COCOANUT MILK; you can also try then you can save a lot of time of preparing cocoanut milk at home -CHUPPAAMANI
Olan traditionally made with tender green Mattanga thinly sliced in square shape. , add green chilli . It is cooked very fast being tender. Add coconut milk and sprinkle coconut oil.no other ingredient is used. While serving one 10 ml spoon is enough per person.the taste is heavenly.try it.
Traditionally turmeric is not added to olan. Only in erusseri.
Hi
I am palakkati but never seen anyone so far using tumeric for OLAN Is it some other version? Olan is usually white in colour and the pumpkin and winter melon are thinly sliced. Not in big chunks
Yes rachaelvedic we are cooking winter melon in coconut milk rendam Paal.finally we’ll add first coconut milk before switch off the flame.
It’s name is olan not oolan.it is in white colour. We are using white pumpkin or winter melon(kumbalanga) not yellow pumpkin.
My mother ususlly made Olan using AAVIN milk instead COCOANUT MILK and it gives the same taste as well as of COCOANUT MILK; you can also try then you can save a lot of time of preparing cocoanut milk at home -CHUPPAAMANI
Sure Sir will try next time. Thank you
Hi
Traditionally for olan at our place we do not cube the kumbalanga. It is very thinly sliced.
Thanks for all your recipes
Soumini
Oh okay. My MIL used to cube so i thought its usually cubed. Thanks for sharing your way
Olan traditionally made with tender green Mattanga thinly sliced in square shape. , add green chilli . It is cooked very fast being tender. Add coconut milk and sprinkle coconut oil.no other ingredient is used. While serving one 10 ml spoon is enough per person.the taste is heavenly.try it.