Malabar (Kannur) Style Kootu Curry

Kootu Curry is a dry accompaniment and a must have in any typical mallu "Sadhya" (Feast). We prepare it for weddings, birthdays, Onam, Vishu and just about every other occasion. This used to be one of the first items served (there is an order for serving the Kerala Sadhya Items apparently) after the Thoran (called Upperi in our part of Kerala). Impatient as I was and still am, I would start eating the Kootu Curry without waiting for the rice to be served even. I realised that I was not the only one who did so. There were so many cousins and relatives and friends who apparently did the same - why wouldn't we do it,when the curry tastes delicious.
I made this for lunch a week ago and I was satisfied with the result. So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Black Channa (Chickpeas/Kadala) - 2 cups
2. Yam - 200 gms (cut into small cubes)
3. Raw Plantain - 1 (cut into cubes)
4. Coconut - 1/2 shell, grated
5. Cumin (Jeera) Seeds - 2 tsp
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
8. Red Chillies - 3
9. Urud Dal - 1 tsp
10. Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
11. Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
12. Curry Leaves - 2/3 sprigs
13. Peppercorns - 1-2 tsp (as per your requirement)
14. Green Chillies -1 or 2 (You could use either the green chilly or pepper corn, don't use both)
15. Salt - to taste

Method

1. Soak the Black Channa overnight.
2. Next morning, pressure cook it for 3 whistles with a little bit of salt.
3. Wash and cut yam and plantain into small cubes.
4. Cook them in 1/2 cup water along with turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder till soft.
5. Set aside 2 or 3 tsp of grated coconut.
6. Grind the rest with Cumin Seeds and peppercorns (or green chillies).
7. Add the black channa to the cooked yam and plantain and evaporate the water. This is a completely dry dish. There should be no running gravy
8. Add the ground coconut mixture and cook well.
9. Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan.
10. Splutter mustard seeds, add the urud dal, red chilly and curry leaves and season the prepared curry with this.
11. Finally, fry the 2-3 tsps of grated coconut that you had set aside and add it to the curry. 
12. Your Kannur Style Kootu Curry is ready.