Olan is a true Kerala dish made with coconut milk and pumpkin as the main ingredients. I love the texture of the cooked beans (vanpayar is most common in olan) and the mild spices in this dish and make it now and then even as a side dish for roti. Olan is one of those dishes in a Kerala sadya that lends more variety than flavour since it’s quite mild and doesn’t necessarily hold its own when served with an avial or thoran. 
KERALA OLAN RECIPE | ONAM SADYA RECIPES
So try this simple yet authentic Kerala Olan for this Onam this year and be surprised at how such simple ingredients can create such a magical dish.
KERALA OLAN RECIPE | ONAM SADYA RECIPES
Ingredients:
3/4 cup black-eyed beans
1 cup pumpkin, cubed
3 – 4 green chillies
1.5 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp Jeera / jeerakam powder
Salt to taste
To Temper:
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 shallots sliced thin (optional)
A few curry leaves
How to Make Olan
1. Soak the beans for atleast 5 hours and pressure cook for 3 whistles in 3 cups water. Set aside. (I have once done this without soaking it and it came out fine. I am sure it depends on the kind of beans, the place and other factors so please soak them to be on the safer side)
2. Add the cubed pumpkin, slit green chillies, jeera powder and a little bit salt into a pan with 1 cup water and let it cook on a low fire until soft. Cook closed for best results but check to make sure it doesn’t get too mushy. This shouldn’t take more than 5-7 mins.
3. Add the beans and 1/2 cup coconut milk to the cooked pumpkin pieces. At this stage, adjust water so that the curry is not too watery or dry. Ideally, there should be enough liquid to cover the pieces. Cook for another 4 mins or so on low fire. If you feel the curry is too watery, add 1 tsp rice flour mixed with 2 tbsp water and mix well.
4. Add the rest of the coconut milk, adjust salt and heat through for not more than 2 mins. Remove from fire.
5. Heat oil and add all the ingredients for tempering. Once the shallots turn a golden brown (if using, otherwise just wait for the mustard seeds to pop), add it to the curry. Mix well and serve hot.
Notes
– Back home, my mom makes this with ashgourd (kumbalanga) and cowpeas (vanpayar). This is said to the more authentic version, the one that we see in Kerala Sadya. The reason why pumpkin is not used or is used in addition to ashgourd is because of the other important dish in a sadya that already uses pumpkin – erissery.
– You can use a mix of ashgourd and pumpkin, mix of yellow and white pumpkin or only yellow pumpkin, like I have done. Even with the beans there is a lot of flexibility. Cowpeas (Vanpayar) is the most common but sometimes people add the pods from yardlong beans (achinga payar).
Can I substitute pumpkin with someother veggie?
yes you can try yam
Believe it or not, 1) there is no jeera (Cumin) Authentic Kerala Olan. 2) the bean you have used id white, but the real recipe calls for the same but brown bean (van-pair).
If you have made this as an experimental dish, it is fine. if not, I find it hard to agree that this is real.
I have clarified this with my ammachi who is a repository of authentic Kerala recipes at Kottayam who is 85 years old.
regarding vanpayar, I have mentioned that in the notes of the olan recipe. i didn't have that in hand so used black-eyed peas. as far as jeera goes, we always add that in our version of olan and i am sure different homes/families/regions make it with minor variations.
I chanced upon your blog recently.I loved the photographs, the writing and the recipes.
Olan is part of Sadhy in Kanyakumari district also. It is eaten with Pulisery (Buttermilk + Coconut + green chillies. Long since eaten it. Great. Will try it this week.
Ash gourd (kumbalanga), besides pumpkin, is a traditional component of olan.
Second, the coconut milk should be the first extract (onnam pal) for best results
Also, I feel the beauty of olan comes out when it is not tempered. Just add coconut milk to the cooked ashgourd and beans, bring to boil, add some more coconut milk, and just add some coconut oil. That's enough. MJ
Thanks for the tip on Olan, MJ! Noted 🙂
Sugam thanneh? I came across your blog through Kanchana's blog. I am koracchu malayalee, konjam thamizh and partially konkan…so how can I not appreciate your site/blog. We love love love Olan and potato stew. My wife, Jana, loves to cook…I am gonna forward your site link to her.
Cheers!!
Sri
I am a Maternity Photographer in Chicago and Baby Photographer in Chicago specializing in artistic maternity (pregnancy pictures), contemporary newborn, baby and children's photography.
hey yaar
good stuff 🙂
Looks mouth watering!I think ur sis hav posted with ash gourd,I have tasted in restaurant with ash gourd as well! Hav to try with yellow pumpkin!
I am going to try ur baby corn manchurian recipe today…:)
Lovely pic! Authentic n yummy recipe!
I came across the combi of coconut/coconut milk, jeera & green chillies when I got the recipe for avial. Absolutely loved the flavour … which was new to me. Am now going to try your Olan Nags. 🙂
Welcome back, Nags! I love Olan and have always made it the authentic way. Great pics:-)
Love the pics..(the 2nd one I like best), my fav color is blue, esp this kind. kinda mood setting.
& girl u went fancy on that leaf!!
At first, I thought it is not a curry leaf! 🙂
nannayirikkunnu olan!
Nice presentation…Olan looks lovely though havent tasted it!
mouth watering recipe…delicious….please do participate in Village special recipes event………
Love your blog and so pleased you're updating again. Looking forward to checking out your new recipes
too gud!!!
Padmasree – those are lovely tips to make the olan recipe better 🙂 will surely try your version with the adjustments soon 🙂
Hello Nags
Saw ur olan recipe,i always use black eyed beans for olan,instead of soaking it for 5 hrs,u can roast it slightly and pressure cook for 5 whoistles with little more water,it always turns out perfect.Also i use cow's milk to boil pumpkin instead of water and add first press coconut milk at the end.
This recipe sounds intriguing, and I plan to make it, but what type and size of green chiles do you use? Are they hot, medium, mild? I've just discovered your blog and look forward to many new tastes. Thank you.
Thanks 🙂
Love your blog and so pleased you’re updating again. Looking forward to checking out your new recipes
I have heard so much about this dish and looks easy to prepare too.
So you were on a holiday? I just got back and am trying to make sense of posting, replying mails, and bloghopping. 🙁
Love Olan, though our version doesn’t have cumin or tempering, just an additon of coconut oil at the end.
The curry leaf (I think) in the picture looks cute.
Hi Nags how are you?
I can just taste the coconut in this dish. Photos are fantastic. 🙂
Oh, how did I miss the Olan recipe here?! My fave too. Looks delicious.
Olan is something I made when i was trying out all kinds of cuisine from all over. I loved it but never became a staple on my menu like the others…should get it back. thanks!
excellent presentation Nags…had a blst a home allae,..great..
my fav curry. thanks for reminding me to make it. lovely pics. haveyou tried making it with red cowpeas? i think it’s called vanpayar.
Gorgeous pics!!!
Olan looks very yummmy
wow your recipe looks gorgeous!!!
Hey Nags! YUMMMM!
Always good to find out new recipes for black eyed beans – I kind of stick to the same throughout.
I love South Indian food and want to visit South India sometime soon Have never been to India at all). Any suggestions of where to actually go? – this will be a totally cullinary trip!
Nags,
I liked the blue in your pictures. Looks very nice. I am big fan of your clicks. Olan looks good.
the pictures look so beautiful! a lovely version of olan…
Thanks guys! 🙂
Pavani – It was such a short trip that I couldn’t spend much time on shopping. I still managed to get some kitchenware from Kottayam and some clothes and footwear from Chennai 😉
mouth watering recipe…delicious….please do participate in Village special recipes event………
Wow nice presentation… and photography.LOvely
Nice presentation…Olan looks lovely though havent tasted it!
Have never tasted olan, though have heard about it. Nice to read and great to look 🙂
Welcome back Nags.. I know its always dispressing getting back to work and routine life after a vacation, especially coming back from India. Olan looks delicious. Did you get a chance to do some shopping in India??
At first, I thought it is not a curry leaf! 🙂
nannayirikkunnu olan!
Lovely looking Olan :)!!!..love the blue back ground!..no worries abt the autenticity..as long as it tastes good and I bet wud have been a heavenly treat :)!!
welcome back from your vacation… olan looks delicious..
Olan is one of my fav dish. One week in India, too short, but for me anything is far better than nothing. I am so jealous that you were in kerala and i was not.
Love the pics..(the 2nd one I like best), my fav color is blue, esp this kind. kinda mood setting.
& girl u went fancy on that leaf!!
Is that a curry leaf? You actually cut the edges to make it look fancy?? Ur totally into this photography thing! So cute!!
Welcome back, Nags! I love Olan and have always made it the authentic way. Great pics:-)
Back to blogging after vacation?? Enjoyed your short vacation with all your loved ones around…right??? Olan pic looks really great!!!
I came across the combi of coconut/coconut milk, jeera & green chillies when I got the recipe for avial. Absolutely loved the flavour … which was new to me. Am now going to try your Olan Nags. 🙂
olan looks great. i have tasted it once and liked it. never got to try it.
looks great…pics are also great as always.:)
I can never seem to get an olan or ishtu pic right…..infact anything that’s white in colour is a blur when I take a pic of it…..any tips on that???
u back? Great!!! Hope you had wonderful time in India. Here, ur bluish pics looks great. I love exactly this sea blue shade.:)
Take care.
Hai the curry looks yummy.i never tried the pumpkin and also the traditional kerala dishes.
Looks great 🙂 And the pics too!
Sj – Hehehe thanks for noticing 😀
Jayashree – I often face the same problem and the reason normally is overexposure – meaning too much (sharp) light. Try to put a diffuser between the light source and your dish, something like a light white dupatta, or a light face towel or even white paper. Not very scientific but really helps 🙂
Lovely pic! Authentic n yummy recipe!
Sonu – thanks for confirming my worries about the white balance in this picture 😀 hehehe 😀
Looks mouth watering!I think ur sis hav posted with ash gourd,I have tasted in restaurant with ash gourd as well! Hav to try with yellow pumpkin!
I am going to try ur baby corn manchurian recipe today…:)