Olan Recipe Kerala Olan Curry

This simple homely curry or stew is one of the dishes that is served during the onam sadhya. Olan is a light and mild curry with flavors of coconut milk, curry leaves and cowpeas. In addition to these, the other basic ingredients that go in this recipe are curry leaves and green chilies. For an authentic flavor in the dish, I always prefer making it in coconut oil. I would also suggest you to make it in coconut oil. Since olan is a coconut milk based curry, thus it pairs very well with steamed rice. If possible you can serve it with Kerala red rice (matta rice). I will be sharing a few Kerala recipes and olan happens to be one of them. Some curry recipes from the Kerala cuisine which I have already shared are Vegetable stew, Kootu curry and Kalan. I have been making olan after adapting it from the essential Kerala cookbook. Ash gourd also known as white pumpkin is generally used to make olan. But you can even use yellow pumpkin (kaddu) instead. Red cowpeas (red lobia) are added in the curry. Though black eyed peas can be easily substituted.

How to make Olan Recipe

1. Rinse ½ cup red cowpeas (lobia) in fresh water. Then in a bowl soak the red cowpeas overnight.
2. Next day drain all the water and rinse the cowpeas again. Drain the extra water.
3. Now add the soaked cowpeas in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also add ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Add 1.5 cups water and pressure cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes till the cowpeas are tender and cooked well.
5. Once the pressure settles down, then only open the lid and check if the cowpeas are cooked well. Keep aside. Cooking ash gourd
6. Rinse and then peel 300 grams of ash gourd. Chop them in medium cubes. Discard the seeds and pith. You will need 2 cups of chopped ash gourd.
7. In a pan, take the chopped ash gourd. Also, add 7 to 8 curry leaves and 3 to 4 green chilies (slit). Season with salt as per taste.
8. Now add ¾ to 1 cup water. Instead of water, you can also use thin coconut milk.
9. Cover the pan and on a low to medium heat simmer till the ash gourd is cooked.
10. In between do check when the ash gourd is cooking and if required you can add some more water.
11. The ash gourd has to be cooked till its tender.
12. There will be some water remaining in the pan and its fine. But do make sure that it is not a lot of water. You can even mash some of the ash gourd if you want.

Making olan curry

13. Now add the cooked cowpeas. Do not add the stock. Just add the cowpeas.
14. Add 1 cup of thick coconut milk.
15. Stir and mix very well.
16. On a low heat gently heat the curry for 4 to 5 minutes. Do not boil.
17. Switch off the heat and then add 12 to 14 curry leaves.
18. Also add 2 to 3 teaspoons of coconut oil.
19. Mix well. Cover and let the flavors infuse for 6 to 8 minutes.
20. Serve olan curry hot with steamed rice. Few more curry recipes for you!

Kerala sambarUlli theeyalMathanga erissery

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This Olan Recipe from the archives, originally published in July 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.

title: “Olan Recipe Kerala Olan Curry " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-29” author: “Mark Sanchez”

This simple homely curry or stew is one of the dishes that is served during the onam sadhya. Olan is a light and mild curry with flavors of coconut milk, curry leaves and cowpeas. In addition to these, the other basic ingredients that go in this recipe are curry leaves and green chilies. For an authentic flavor in the dish, I always prefer making it in coconut oil. I would also suggest you to make it in coconut oil. Since olan is a coconut milk based curry, thus it pairs very well with steamed rice. If possible you can serve it with Kerala red rice (matta rice). I will be sharing a few Kerala recipes and olan happens to be one of them. Some curry recipes from the Kerala cuisine which I have already shared are Vegetable stew, Kootu curry and Kalan. I have been making olan after adapting it from the essential Kerala cookbook. Ash gourd also known as white pumpkin is generally used to make olan. But you can even use yellow pumpkin (kaddu) instead. Red cowpeas (red lobia) are added in the curry. Though black eyed peas can be easily substituted.

How to make Olan Recipe

1. Rinse ½ cup red cowpeas (lobia) in fresh water. Then in a bowl soak the red cowpeas overnight.
2. Next day drain all the water and rinse the cowpeas again. Drain the extra water.
3. Now add the soaked cowpeas in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also add ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Add 1.5 cups water and pressure cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes till the cowpeas are tender and cooked well.
5. Once the pressure settles down, then only open the lid and check if the cowpeas are cooked well. Keep aside. Cooking ash gourd
6. Rinse and then peel 300 grams of ash gourd. Chop them in medium cubes. Discard the seeds and pith. You will need 2 cups of chopped ash gourd.
7. In a pan, take the chopped ash gourd. Also, add 7 to 8 curry leaves and 3 to 4 green chilies (slit). Season with salt as per taste.
8. Now add ¾ to 1 cup water. Instead of water, you can also use thin coconut milk.
9. Cover the pan and on a low to medium heat simmer till the ash gourd is cooked.
10. In between do check when the ash gourd is cooking and if required you can add some more water.
11. The ash gourd has to be cooked till its tender.
12. There will be some water remaining in the pan and its fine. But do make sure that it is not a lot of water. You can even mash some of the ash gourd if you want.

Making olan curry

13. Now add the cooked cowpeas. Do not add the stock. Just add the cowpeas.
14. Add 1 cup of thick coconut milk.
15. Stir and mix very well.
16. On a low heat gently heat the curry for 4 to 5 minutes. Do not boil.
17. Switch off the heat and then add 12 to 14 curry leaves.
18. Also add 2 to 3 teaspoons of coconut oil.
19. Mix well. Cover and let the flavors infuse for 6 to 8 minutes.
20. Serve olan curry hot with steamed rice. Few more curry recipes for you!

Kerala sambarUlli theeyalMathanga erissery

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This Olan Recipe from the archives, originally published in July 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.