The only one is a Kerala dish (stew) prepared with coconut milk as the base, ash gourd (kumbalanga) and red peas (vanpayar) as the main ingredients. This is a simple recipe with very few ingredients, but so flavorful.
Olan is served as part of the Kerala Onam Sadhya but is a wonderful accompaniment to the regular South Indian lunch menu too. Since it is similar to stew, you can have it with appam, idiyappam too.
Check out mine Pineapple Pachadi AND Beetroot thayir pachadi recipe on this website.
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ingredients
Here are the only few ingredients for this super easy Olan recipe.
- Ash gourd – Kumbalanga in Malayalam. Use fresh ash gourd broth for the best taste and texture.
- Red peas -Vanpayar in Malayalam. This cooks up easily and absorbs quickly. It adds great flavor and nutritional value to the dish.
- Coconut milk – I used ready-made coconut milk as a shortcut, but I also explained how to extract it to use in this recipe.
- Green chili pepper – Used to lightly spice the dish.
- Coconut oil – The main flavor comes from the coconut oil that we add at the end. Use virgin, cold-pressed ones if possible, natural and edible.
- curry leaves – This works wonders in terms of the main flavor of the dish.
See the recipe card for the complete list and quantities.
Instructions
Let’s see how to easily make olan.
1. First wash and soak red cowpeas (vanpayar) overnight.
2. The next day, drain the water, wash and set aside.
3. Peel the skin of the ash pumpkin, without any green parts.
4. Also remove the soft central pith.
5. Cut the ash gourd into thick strips or if you like thin slice, you can cut it into thin slices too.
6. Then cut it into cubes. I like having it like this, a little big.
7. Then add the coconut milk. Since I used store bought, it was thick and I used ¼ cup.
8. Next add ½ cup of water to dilute. If using fresh, low-fat coconut milk, use ½ cup to ¾ cup.
7. Then add chopped green chilli, few curry leaves and salt.
8. Pressure cook for just one or two whistles.
9. Once the pressure is released naturally, open and check if the brown beans have become soft.
10. Then add the thick coconut milk.
11. Add a few more torn fresh curry leaves for flavor and a generous drizzle of coconut oil.
6. Mix well, bring to the boil and turn off the heat.
Kerala olan is ready to serve! Olan is usually served as a side dish on Onam Sadhya, but I also liked it with plain steamed rice. I loved it with hot cooked rice.
Substitutions and variations
- Red peas – You can use black-eyed peas or even fresh long beans.
- Yellow pumpkin – Mathan: Use a mix of both in equal quantities. Half white pumpkin and half yellow pumpkin.
- Ginger – Also add flaked ginger for an absolutely refreshing flavor.
- Spice level – Adjust the amount of chilli according to your taste buds. I like to keep it delicate for this dish.
- Coconut milk – Use more coconut milk (the fluid one) avoiding water when cooking vegetables, if you use fresh coconut milk.
Warehousing
Consume within 6 hours as it contains coconut milk. If you put it in the refrigerator, cool it as soon as possible, then you can store it the next day.
The best advice
If using homemade coconut milk, try using a teaspoon of rice flour to prevent it from curdling.
Adding oil at the end enhances the flavor.
You can cook the beans separately and the ash squash separately for a whiter look.
FAQ
Olan is a stew prepared with white pumpkin (ash gourd) cooked in coconut milk along with brown cowpeas. It is prepared with delicate spices but an explosion of flavors simply with coconut oil and curry leaves.
What is the substitute for white pumpkin in Olan?
The best thing I would suggest is to use cucumber. If you know of any other substitutions let me know in the comments.
Coconut milk
- If you extract coconut milk at home, take 1 ½ to 2 cups of shredded coconut in a blender. Add ¼ cup of water or as little as possible to get a thick first extract. Gently grind and squeeze the milk through a sieve. (Onnam Paal)
2. Once again, add another ½ to ¾ cup of warm water to the coconut remains. Squeeze and extract the second coconut milk. (Renda Paal)
Use in recipe as needed. I highly recommend using a teaspoon of rice flour to avoid the curdled appearance.
Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe card
Olan Recipe | Kerala Olan | Onam Sadhya Recipes
Olan is a Kerala dish (stew) prepared with coconut milk as the base, ash gourd (kumbalanga) and red peas (vanpayar) as the main ingredients. This is a simple recipe with very few ingredients, but so flavorful
Cup measurements
ingredients
- 2 cups Ash gourd White pumpkin, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup Brown cowpeas vanpayer
- ½ cup Coconut milk Already ready
- 1 Green chili pepper slot
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 table spoon Coconut oil Virgin
- salt
Prevents the screen from going dark
Instructions
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Wash first and soak the red cowpeas (vanpayar) overnight.
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The next day, drain the water, wash it and keep aside.
-
Then peel the skin of the ash pumpkin, without any green part. Also remove the soft central pith.
-
Then cut it into cubes or, if you like a thin slice, you can also cut into thin slices.
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Then take a small pressure cooker and add chopped ash gourd. Add the soaked and drained red peas.
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Then add a few curry leaves, salt and then garnish with 1 cup of low-fat coconut milk. I used pre-made coconut milk, so it was very rich. I used ¼ cup and ¾ cup water.
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Pressure cook for just one or two whistles.
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Once the pressure releases naturally, open and add the thick coconut milk.
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Add the coconut oil and a few more curry leaves and heat for a minute.
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Turn off the stove and Kerala olan is ready to serve!
video
Notes
- You can cook the beans separately and the ash squash separately for a whiter look.
