Ingredients for 4-6 servings.

2 cups sour curd

1 spring curry leaves

1 cup gram flour

½ tbsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp oil

2-3 dried red chilies

1 tbsp cumin seeds

¼ tbsp fenugreek seeds

¼ – ½ tbsp asafetida powder or, instead of these

3 ingredients, 1 tbsp punch, poran

Preparation:

Beat the curd till smooth and blended. Wash the curry leaves ad strip them off the stem.

Method:

Sieve the gram flour into a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the curd, beating and stirring all the time till you have a smooth paste. Slowly stir in 6 cups water, beating continuously till you have a thin batter without lumps. Sprinkle in the turmeric and salt, and beat and stir well.

          Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai, burning ii if using mustard oil. Add the red chilies, and fry till back and plump. Reduce the heat and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, and as soon as they turn golden and fragrant add the asafetida. Alternatively add the punch-poran, covering the pan till the spluttering subsides.

          Add the curry leaves and immediately pour in the curd-gram flour mixture. Bring to the boil on medium heat stirring constantly. Lower heat and let it simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, till it is thick, creamy and reduced to about half its original bulk 30-40 minutes.

          Serve with plain rice.

Note:

Kadhi does not reheat all that well, so it’s one dish that it’s best to make only as much as will be eaten at one meal.

Variation: the given quantities make a medium consistency kadhi. Reduce the quantity of water if u like it thicker, as the Punjabis do, or increase it if u prefers it much thinner, as they make it in Gujarat and south India.

• Slice one medium onion and add to the chaunk before the curry leaves, stir-frying over high beat till golden.
• Cut the flesh of one unripe mango into medium dice and add to the chaunk instead of the curry leaves. Cover the pan and cook on low heat till the mango is soft, then add the curd-gram flour mixture and proceed as above. Add 1-2 tbsp sugar if it seems too sour.
• Incorporate some spinach; say 300-500 Gms, cleaned, washed and chopped fine as described on p. 109. add it to the chaunk before the curd gram flour mixture goes in. lower the heat, cover and cook till the spinach has wilted and lost its bulk, then add the curd gram flour mixture and proceed as above.
• Add 1 tbsp ginger powder and the liquidized pulp of 3-4 ripe mangoes to the curd gram flour mixture for a gourment kadhi.

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