Kadhi and (No Fry) Pakoda for a Milestone

Remember my post on Palak Kadhi? This post is directly connected to that. Let me rephrase that. This post is a direct outcome of the comments that my namesakes, Arundathi and Arundati made on that post. One of them was happy that there was no deep frying and the other thought that fried koftas would have been nice. I couldn’t help remember this picture that was sent with some forward I received. But it got me thinking. For a week or so I thought about how I could have pakodas in my kadhi and yet avoid the pain of deep frying. Since S was traveling again, I had plenty of milk and curd in the house and decided to make kadhi yet again. I decided to make mixed vegetable pakodas to put in my kadhi.


So far, so good. But I didn’t want to heat oil to fry the pakodas. I did the next best thing. I brought out my appey kayli and made my “pakodas” in that. It tasted really nice and once the pakodas soak up the kadhi, you can’t tell that they weren’t fried. It is amazing what blogging does to you. One post and its comments led to my experiment and this way I can have my cake (err pakoda) and eat it too.

Pakodas (Dumplings):
2/3 cup Gram Flour
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Onion, finely chopped
½ cup Mixed Vegetables, chopped and steamed
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped
Salt to Taste
A few drops of oil


Kadhi:
1 1/4 cups Curd/Yogurt
3 tbsp Gram Flour
2/3 cup Water
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder

Tempering:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
4 Red Chillies

To make the dumplings, mix the gram flour with the chilli powder, salt, baking soda, onions, mixed vegetables, green chilli paste, and coriander leaves. Add enough water to form a thick batter. Heat the appey patra and lightly oil the moulds. Drop a spoonful of the batter into each mould. Fry until golden brown, turning once and using a few drops of oil if necessary.

To make the kadhi, whisk the curds with the gram flour and water. Add all the spices and salt and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.

For the tempering, heat the oil in a frying ladle and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the red chillies and take off the flame.

To proceed:

Add the pakodas to the kadhi. Add the seasoning and serve hot with rice.

This experiment couldn’t have come at a better time. This is my 300th post and, in my opinion, it is extremely reflective of the essence of blogging and all its associated joys. Thank you all.

Palak Kadhi

I always say that "Necessity is the mother of invention". I was going through some cookbooks to see what to make for dinner and came across a recipe for palak kofta kadhi. I didn't want to deep fry anything. I had a lot of curd and a lot of spinach, but was feeling terribly lazy. Instead of making koftas, I decided to add the spinach directly to the kadhi. I loved the end result.

1 cup Spinach, boiled and chopped

For the Kadhi:

1 1/4 cups Curd/Yogurt
3 tbsp Gram Flour
2/3 cup Water
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder

To make the kadhi, whisk the curds with the gram flour and water. Add all the spices and salt and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the cooked spinach to this and boil for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

This is a great way to use up any leftover curd and the entire dish comes together in just a few minutes. I cook the spinach in the microwave and it is cooked by the time the kadhi comes to a boil. This recipe is a lifesaver on busy weeknights and is off to Siri for her Frozen Yogurt event.

Khichdi and Kadhi

Wherever I go, I try and sample the local cuisine of the place. Of course I sample global foods without ever once having even flown over those lands. I’d never seek out Indian food while traveling abroad. Firstly, I am not the biggest fan of Indian food to have the face of this earth. I enjoy it as I do any food. Secondly, I don’t like to lose out on the chances (to taste different cuisines) that life offers me. While in Paris, I had the misfortune of being with two Indians who’d seek out atrociously expensive Indian food at Strasbourg Saint-Denise every night. They spoke no French and they sort of emotionally blackmailed me all the time. They didn’t know how to ask for food without any meat and were unwilling to learn basic French. To top it all, they thought a trip to McDonald’s constituted sampling local food! I used to travel all over the city each day after work picking up small snacks along the way, taking in everything the beautiful city had to offer. My academics in Tourism will never be a waste. (And I can beg you all never to order Baingan Bharta anywhere in Paris!)


The first Indian state that I traveled extensively in happens to be Gujarat. I should have said the first Indian state that I didn’t “belong to”. This was about 21 years ago. Until that time, our travel was limited to the three states that I have called home: Maharashtra, Karnataka and TamilNadu. I don’t count going to Tirupati as it is closer to Madras than it is to most urbanized parts of A.P. Gujarat left its indelible mark on me. Literally and figuratively. Literally as it was the very first time I was experiencing temperatures higher than 40 degrees Celsius. (Yes, Madras in those days wasn’t half as hot as it is now.) I developed heat boils, which, as they healed, left scars on my neck and legs. (I even had to have one boil surgically removed.) Figuratively, I was so impressed with what the state had to offer that I made three or four trips since then. And I keep going back.


One of the things I love about any place is the food on offer. It’s not like I’m never disappointed. But Gujarat has never disappointed me in this matter. From the khakhras to the dhoklas and khandvis to the theplas and rotlis to the quintessential khichdi and kadhi… I love them all. I once joked to my cousin about wanting to marry a Gujju boy so my MIL could feed me all the lovely stuff. She said, “Your MIL will probably get stuff from the shop, as it is so much simpler, which you can also do”. Initially, I got my recipes from my dear friend M who could never understand why I loved her food so. As soon as Tarla Dalal came out with her Gujarati Cookbook, one copy was on my bookshelf.

I think this book of Tarla Dalal’s is like the Rasachandrika of Gujarati cooking. The recipes that M gave me are almost identical to the ones in the book. So I love it even more. Khichdi and Kadhi is a combination that I used to make very often when I was single. There was this time when I was attending German classes in the morning and so had very little time to make lunch. I ate khichdi for lunch throughout this 7 week period. There’s a slight variation to my khichdi and that is the addition of vegetables. I also add equal amounts of rice and dal as it makes me feel good. (Don’t ask why!)

1 cup Rice (Basmati or Sona Masuri), washed and drained
1 cup Green Gram (Moong) Dal, washed and drained
1 tsp Oil
1 cup Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Beans, Peas)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Peppercorns
1” piece Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
¼ tsp Asafoetida
Salt to taste


Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds, asafetida, peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves. When the cumin crackles add the rice, dal and vegetables. Fry for a minute and add the chilli paste and salt. Add about 4-5 cups of boiling hot water and cook for 20 minutes (4-5 whistles).

While the khichdi is cooking, get the kadhi going.

2 tbsp Gram flour (Besan)

2 cups Curd

2 cups Water
½ tsp Green Chilli Paste
½ tsp Ginger Paste

2 Curry Leaves

1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste

For the tempering:

1 tsp Ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Mustard Seeds

¼ tsp Asafoetida

1 Red chilli, broken into bits

Beat the curds with the gram flour and water until you get a smooth mixture. Add the green chilli and ginger pastes, curry leaves, sugar and salt. Bring this mixture to a boil on a low flame.

In a frying ladle, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When the mustard splutters, add the asafetida and the red chilli. Add the tempering to the kadhi and boil for 1-2 minutes.

Serve the kadhi along with the khichdi. This would also go down as a classic comfort food for me. S doesn’t care much for kadhi and sometimes I make the mixed vegetable khichdi alone which we have with pickle and curd.

This is my first entry to the Regional Cuisine of India: Gujarat event which is being hosted by Mythili. if time permits, I'll send in my other recipes too. I'd like to send the Khichdi to

Meeta's Monthly Mingle. The theme this month is One-Dish Dinners. Happy hosting Meeta and Mythili!

Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda

There are cookbooks and then there are cookbooks. And then there's this book called Favourite Vegetarian Dishes. I have talked about this book often as I have tried out several recipes. I found this recipe for "Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce" and was intrigued. One look and I knew I had the recipe for Kadhi Pakoda. Why would I use a British book printed in China to make a dish that is as local to Saddi Dilli as the Idli is to Madras? Because I found it in a book I trust. I'd marked Anita's recipe to make at home, but couldn't open my machine that morning. So, I made this to go with rice. Many Punju colleagues of mine tasted this and said they couldn't tell it was the first time I'd made it. S called from work and said his colleagues said this was much better than the dabbawalla's stuff and as good as the stuff made in their homes.

I quite liked it and think of it as a lovely way to use of sour curd. I have, in the recent past, made all the dishes I know of that help use up sour curds: Punjabi Kadhi, Gujarati Kadhi, Mor Kuzhambu and Avial. I enjoyed this stuff while growing up, but had my own reservations about making them. I am glad they all turned out great and I'll be posting them one by one.

Pakodas (Dumplings):

2/3 cup Gram Flour

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Green Chilli Paste

2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

Salt to Taste

Oil for frying

Kadhi:

1 1/4 cups Curd/Yogurt

3 tbsp Gram Flour

2/3 cup Water

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Garlic Paste

1 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

Seasoning:

1 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

4 Red Chillies

To make the dumplings, mix the gram flour with the chilli powder, salt, baking soda, onions, green chilli paste, and coriander leaves. Add enough water to form a thick batter. Heat the oil and drop spoonfuls of the batter into it. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain on absorbent paper.

To make the kadhi, whisk the curds with the gram flour and water. Add all the spices and salt and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.

For the seasoning, heat the oil in a frying ladle and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the red chillies and take off the flame.

To proceed:

Add the fried pakodas to the kadhi. Add the seasoning and serve hot with rice.

I really enjoyed this dish and I am certain I will not be ordering this at a restaurant. If I feel the urge, I'll make some for myself, right here, at home.

I am home with a nasty cold and fever. I hope to get well real soon and be back in full swing. I've been missing all of you.

Gatte Ki Kadhi

The very first time I ate Gatte ki kadhi was at Mansukh's in Madras. I was enjoying a Gujarati Thali while a colleague was enjoying a Rajasthani Thali. She asked me to try the kadhi and I fell in love with it instantly.

Years later, I sampled more of this spicy dish at Dhola-ri-Dhani, a Rajasthani village theme resort in Hyderabad. Soon, I bought myself a copy of Tarla Dalal's Rajasthani Cookbook. I've tried quite a few recipes from the book. I use a lot less chilli powder than the recipes call for. So you may adjust the spice level according to your taste.

Ingredients:

For the gattas:

3/4 cup
Bengal gram flour 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp ajwain
1 tbsp curds
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste


For the Kadhi:


2 cups Curds, beaten
1 tablespoon Bengal gram flour
4 to 6 Curry leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1 bay leaf
1 clove
1 stick cinnamon
1 cardamom
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste


For garnish:
2 tablespoons chopped coriander






For the Gattas:

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead into a firm dough using as little water as necessary. Divide the mixture into eight 3 inch long cylinders.

Heat plenty of water in a vessel and cook the gattas for 8-10 minutes in boiling water. Drain and cut the gattas into half inch pieces.


For the Kadhi:


Mix the curds, gram flour, curry leaves and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.

Heat oil in a kadhai and add the mustard, fennel and cumin seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon and cardamom. When the mustad and cumin seeds crackle, add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders and fry for a minute. Add the curd mixture, 1 cup of water and salt and bring to a boil while stirring continuously.


Add the prepared gattas and garnish with coriander. Enjoy this with steaming hot rice. I can guarantee you'll fall in love with it.

This is my entry to Weekend Herb Blogging, started by Kalyn and hosted by The Chocolate Lady of In Mol Araan.

This fits in perfectly with my Eating out while eating in series. The earlier ones in this series being Kothu Roti, French Bread Pizza, Macaroni, Egg Bhurji and Potato Wedges.