Day 30: Kadhi

Kadhi – Simple or with Chicken

I don’t think anyone makes Kadhi like my Nani – among her family and friends, she’s famous for it. At the langar she was known as the ‘kadhi wali bibi’ aka Kadhi Lady!

No , kadhi is not kari(curry). It is a gravy dish but not a curry.

The standalone feature is it’s made with besan. I believe it’s made differently in different parts of India. It’s best made with curd gone slightly sour and I know dad has a box of yogurt lying in his fridge which has just gone past it’s expiry date – a perfect day to make kadhi!

Normally a vegetarian version is made at our home and the recipe for it was handed down by my Nani to my Mom. I’ve now tweaked it and made it into chicken kadhi!

It’s a very large quantity – literally for 15 people (well, depends on your appetite) but whatever is left over, you can always freeze it or even kindly distribute it to your neighbours 🙂

Ingredients

1. 3 bowls* yogurt (room temperature)

2. 1 bowl besan (chickpea flour)

3. 1 tbsp ginger paste

4. 1 tsp whole jeera (cumin)

5. 3 red chilli’s

6. 3/4 tsp haldi (turmeric)

7. 1/2 tsp chilli powder

8. 3 medium tomatoes

9. 2 small onions

10. Pinch of hing (asafoetida)

11. 2 bay leaves

12. 3-4 methi seeds

13. 4 bowls whey** water (purely) optional. Use normal water

14. 2 tbsp oil (can do with less also)

15. 1 tsp salt

*one bowl =250 ml or 8oz

**Let me clarify, this is not the protein whey. This is the water left after making paneer at home. It’s adds to the sourness.

Method

1. Whisk the besan in some water till no lumps are formed. Strain it so that it is smooth.

2. Whisk the curd. Strain it before adding it to smooth besan batter to the curd. Whisk two-three times till it blends.

3. Add the haldi /turmeric, chilli powder and salt and whisk again

4. Slice the onions, thin and long

5. Heat a heavy based pot and add oil

6. Add jeera and let it splutter

7. Add the bay leaves, methi seeds and ginger garlic paste and stir for 10 seconds

8. Add the onions and stir till it’s translucent. Keep scraping the bottom of the pot while stirring to ensure that nothing sticks. Takes about 2 minutes

9. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes

10. Reduce the heat.

11. Now add the curd besan batter slowly taking care that no lumps are formed.

12. Increase heat to high.

13. Add water( whey or normal) and stir and let it come to a boil.

14. Reduce and let it cook for 2 hours stirring it every 20 min or so.

15. Garnish with chilli oil and jeera if you like. Heat 1 heaped tsp of ghee in a small pan. Add jeera and stir till it splutters. Take the pan off the flame and then the chilli powder

Now for the version that I like …with chicken and spinach!

Chicken

Ingredients

1. Chicken 250 gms

2. Small bunch spinach

3. 1 tsp ginger garlic paste

4. 1/3 tsp chilli powder

5. 1/3 tsp salt

6. 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Wash the spinach. Drain and then chop roughly.

2. Wash and cut the chicken into approx 1 inch pieces

3. Marinade the chicken with chilli powder and garlic ginger paste. Coat nicely.

4. In a separate wok add 1 tsp of oil and pan fry the chicken. Stir for 5 minutes then add the spinach.

5. Add chilli powder and salt

6. Stir and cook till the spinach wilts a bit and the water evaporates

7. Once the kadhi is done, add about 4 cups of kadhi to the the chicken and let it cook nicely for another 15-20 minutes

8. Garnish with chilli oil and jeera if you like (this is step 15 in the simple version)

Enjoy with a bowl of rice!