Kadhi is one dish that is common across almost all cuisines in India and yet very different. There is no semblance between a Gujarati Kadhi, Sindhi Kadhi, Rajasthani Kadhi, Bohri Kadhi or a UP Kadhi except that all are yoghurt based (except sindhi kadhi) and it may or may not have pakodi (gram flour dumplings, and those too vary from one cuisine to another) and other veggies.
I think the simplest form of kadhi that I have come across is the one that my mom makes. It’s got just two main ingredients (yogurt and gram flour), minimal spices, it’s hot and watery and with very soft plain pakodis. Kadhi Chawal has been a comfort food for me ever since childhood. Since we originally belong to U.P., I would say this recipe is closer to U.P. kadhi. I will try out the other recipes also in due course of time and will keep you posted!
Note: Keep the curd outside refrigerator overnight for it go sour. Else you can also add lime juice after the Kadhi is cooked.
Kadhi-Chawal
Preparation Time: 10 mins| Cooking Time: 30 mins| Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup curd/yogurt (Keep the curd out of refrigerator the night before so that it becomes sour)
3 tbsps gram flour (Besan)
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp clarified butter (Ghee)
Oil for frying
Method
Pakodi (Gram Flour Dumplings)
- Whisk 3 tbsp gram flour with ~½ cup water to make a thick paste. Whisk it for about 5-7 minutes by hand so that the paste is nice and fluffy (My mom says that whisk is so much that the quantity of the paste almost doubles up by the air that you are incorporating in it)
- Heat oil in a deep pan (Kadhai).
- Put spoonfuls of the gram flour paste into hot oil and deep fry till lightly brown.
- Remove on an absorbent kitchen towel. Keep aside.
Kadhi
- Strain the oil from the pan used to fry the pakodi into another container. Take care while handling hot oil. I normally reuse the oil I have used for frying again in cooking vegetables or in preparing dough for paranthas. But I don’t use the same oil for frying again. Use the same pan to make Kadhi.
- Whisk together the yogurt, 1 tbsp gram flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and 3 cups water using a blender. (I use the same bowl as the one for making the pakodi paste, so that any remaining paste is also used).
- Heat ghee in the deep pan.
- Add hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies.
- Once the seeds crackle, add the yogurt mixture and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.
- Add salt, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can put rice for cooking at this time :).
- Add the pakodis and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve with hot steam rice.