Kollu Thogayal Recipe (Horse gram chutney)

Kollu thogayal also known as horse gram chutney is a popular and traditional south Indian recipe made using kollu ( horse gram ), red chillies, coconut and garlic. This is one of the instant and healthy recipes that you can make in less than 20 minutes. Kollu thogayal can be served with idli, dosai, hot rice or any south Indian meal. If you’re trying to lose weight or following a diet, this is a great addition to your everyday meal.

Kollu Thogayal

This is my 999th post, i can’t believe that tomorrow is going to my 1000th post. And it is going to a special recipe so wait for it. This chutney is a healthy one, if you want to reduce your weight and you are in diet. Then include horse gram in your diet. It is super ingredients that helps in weight loss. My grandma used to make this often. She also makes an instant powder using this.

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About Horse Gram Chutney

Horsegram is one of the protein rich legumes and it is especially popular in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Horsegram is one of the staple and superfoods which is rich in calcium, iron and protein. This legume aids in weight loss and also improves digestion.

Thogayal is a traditional South Indian thick or coarse condiment, made using lentils and spices or even with vegetables. Unlike regular South Indian chutneys, they are often runny and served with tiffin items like idli, dosai. Whereas thogayal is a thick paste, particularly mixed with hot rice with ghee, offers a simple nutritious meal. I have shared ‘n’ number of thogayal recipes in my blog like paruppu thogayal, keerai thogayal, coriander thogayal. You can check them in my blog recipe post.

Today the kollu thogayal recipe I’m going to share is so special to my heart because it is my 999th post. Can’t believe that I’m going to put up my 1000th post tomorrow and I’ll definitely share a very special recipe for that post. Now coming back to this kollu thogayal recipe, this is shared by my Aachi ( grandmother ). She used to make this regular at home. She also shared an instant kollu podi version. I’ve shared that in my blog you can check that too.

Kollu thogayal is a traditional South Indian chutney made from horsegram, coconut, garlic and red chilli. This thogayal is typically served with idli, dosai, roti or rice with a dollop of ghee or gingelly oil. It is such a simple, healthy and comforting recipe. This recipe is a perfect blend of tradition, nutrition and taste that make it suitable for various dietary preferences like protein rich vegetarian, gluten free and weight loss.

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Chammanthi

Pudhina Thogayal

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Kollu Soup

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

High in Nutrition : Horsegram is one of the legumes that has high calcium content and also a very rich vegetarian protein. It boosts metabolism and controls the appetite for weight loss.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE – My Aachi is the one who shared this recipe, she often makes this for us. Not only this recipe, many of my traditional recipes are gifted from my aachi. My aachi’s version of thogayal is so rustic, simple and made with so much love. She often serves this thogayal with rice at least once a week. When you’re tired or want to make something quick and nutritious meal for your kids, then horsegram thogayal with rice is a go-to option. A quick whip up in the blender, served with a bowl of hot rice turns into a comforting meal. This recipe requires minimal effort but has maximum health benefits.

Easy to make : The thogayal making process is so simple and straightforward. It is one of the quick and healthy recipes to be made in less than 20 minutes. This recipe comes in handy when you are looking to make a healthy quick meal during your busy days.

Versatile : Kollu thogayal is a versatile recipe that you can create many delicious variations based on your preference. You can incorporate the recipe with other ingredients of your choice like coriander, onion, tamarind, peanut and curry leaves.

Ingredients

HORSE GRAM / KOLLU / KANAM : This tiny legume is the heart of our thogayal recipe. There are two types of horsegram available in the market – black and brown horsegram. You can use any variety of your choice. Dry roast the kollu to improve digestion and to remove raw smell.

COCONUT : Coconut adds a rich and creamy texture to the thogayal. For dairy free thogayal, you can substitute with almond or cashew. You can even use desiccated or frozen coconut instead of fresh coconut. The texture and flavour may differ accordingly.

GARLIC : Garlic adds a depth and flavourful aroma to the thogayal. You can even saute the garlic in a pan before grinding. If you want to improve digestion, you can even add a piece of ginger while grinding.

DRY RED CHILLI : Dry red chilli is added to kick the spiceiness in the thogayal. You can adjust the quantity of red chilli according to your spice level. You can also substitute with green chilli or add kashmiri red chilli which is less spicy and adds vibrant color to the thogayal.

SALT : Salt is added to balance the overall flavour and taste. WATER : Water can be according to your preferred thogayal consistency.

Hacks

Cleaning horsegram : First spread the kollu on a plate. Remove any small stones or dirt particles before cooking.

Dry roasting : In a pan, dry roast the kollu in low flame until it splutters. It should be nice golden brown and aromatic.

Soaking : Wash the dry roasted horsegram and soak it in water for 10 minutes.

Grinding : Grind the soaked horsegram with the rest of the ingredients in a blender.

Kollu Thogayal (Step by Step Pictures)

This is roasted horsegram

Wash it and Take that in a bowl

Cover it with water

In a blender, add coconut

Couple of garlic cloves

Add in dry chilli

Add the soaked dal

Add some salt

Puree them

Serve

Expert Tips

Always dry roast the kollu ( horsegram ) to avoid raw and bitter taste.
You can even pressure cook the horsegram for 2 to 3 whistles. Then grind the cooked horsegram with other ingredients to prepare thogayal.
Desiccated coconut can be used in place of fresh coconut.
A small piece of tamarind can be used while grinding to add tanginess to the thogayal.
You can even use black horse gram instead of brown horsegram.
Instead of grinding the ingredients as raw, you can even saute the red chilli, coconut and garlic in a pan and prepare the thogayal.
For an added crunchy and nutty flavour, you can add roasted peanuts while grinding.

Storage & Serving

Kollu thogayal can be stored in an airtight container. It stays good for 1 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

You can serve the kollu thogayal with idli, dosai, roti , hot rice with a dollop of ghee or gingelly oil. Horsegram is one of the legumes used for weight loss, so that you can use this as a spread for your sandwich or wrap.

FAQ

1.Can I make this without coconut ?

Absolutely. You can try the recipe without coconut. It may offer a longer shelf life for the thogayal.

2. Is kollu hard to digest?

Horsegram are hard to digest when you consume raw. Pressure cooking or soaking the horsegram makes it easier to digest.

3. Is horse gram gluten free ?

Yes, horsegram is gluten free legume making it a perfect choice for those looking for gluten free weight loss recipes.

4. Can I add peanuts or other lentils?

Absolutely ! Yes you can add roasted peanuts or other lentils like moong dal, toor dal, channa dal or roasted gram dal for added crunchy and nutty flavour.

Variations

Kollu podi : Kollu podi is an instant version of the thogayal recipe. All you have to do is roast the ingredients like horsegram, garlic, cumin, dry red chilli separately and grind them into a powder. This podi can be stored upto a month in an airtight container. You can serve it with rice or even as kollu idli podi with a dollop of gingelly oil or ghee.

Kollu rasam / soup : Kollu rasam / soup is one of the healthy and comforting recipes to consume during a cold, cough. It is perfect for warm weather. You can start by preparing the rasam base with garlic, cumin, chilli, tamarind and then finally add pressure cooked horsegram to the rasam. Serve it with a bowl of hot rice.

Onion kollu thogayal : In this variation, you can add small onion / shallots / big onion with horsegram. Saute the onion until it caramelizes and grind with other ingredients. It adds little sweetness to the thogayal.

More Kollu (Horse gram) Recipes

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