Besan Kadhi - the perfect winter cheer

"Winter is the time for comfort,
for good food and warmth,
for the touch of a friendly hand,
and for a talk beside the fire:
It is the time for home."
- Edith Sitwell

It's been a cold day here in Delhi and what I was yearning for was some comfort food. I mentally ticked off the list of things I could have, and finally settled on kadhi an all time favorite and a food which was sure to make me happy.

Kadhi chawal has always been a yummy combination and with fried potatoes it tastes absolutely swell.

creamy buttermilk

Buttermilk (chach) is mostly used for making kadhi because the smoothness and creaminess comes from that. Curd will also do but it tastes best with freshly churned buttermilk made from full cream milk.

kadhi pakori

Every house has its own unique way of making this dish. My friend makes Punjabi style kadhi and likes pyaaz ki pakodi in her kadhi. Its consistency can also vary; Gujarati kadhi is thin and also sweetish. Sindhi kadhi has loads of vegetables in it and tamarind pulp is added for  sourness. But whatever way you like it sweet or sour, it always tastes good, is very simple to make and can be had any time of the year.

 Do take the time out to make this dish, I am sure you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Kadhi

Serves 2

For the kadhi

besan kadhi

500 ml (1/2 liter) buttermilk
4 tablespoon besan (chick pea flour/ gram flour)

1/4 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1/4 teaspoon methi (fenugreek seeds)

1/4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida powder)

1/4 teaspoon haldi (turmeric powder)

a few sprigs of fresh kadi patta (curry leaves)

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

500 ml (1/2 liter) water

Salt to taste

For the Pakoris

4 tablespoon besan (chickpea flour / gram flour)

70-75 ml water (approx)

Salt to taste

1 cup oil for frying

For the tempering

4 tablespoon desi ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

To make the pakoris

Take besan (chickpea flour) in a bowl, add salt and then slowly add the water till you get a smooth batter of dropping consistency. Lightly beat the mixture (best to do it with hand) for 5 minutes till it is light and fluffy.

Heat the oil in a kadhai (wok). Once the oil is heated up lower the flame to medium and then drop spoonfuls of the besan batter into it. Deep fry the pakodis till they are golden brown and then remove from oil and keep aside.

For the kadhi

Add besan (chickpea flour), haldi (turmeric powder) and the water to the buttermilk. Mix it all well and then strain the mixture to remove any lumps.

Take another kadhai (wok) and add desi ghee (clarified butter), then add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Stir them for a couple of minutes till they get roasted then add the curry leaves. Now pour in the strained buttermilk- besan (gramflour) mixture, add the salt and stir it well.

Let this mixture cook on high heat till it comes to a boil. Do keep stirring the mixture from time to time or it may split. Once it comes to a boil lower the flame and add the pakoris to it. Mix everything well and then partially cover with a lid. Let it cook on a low flame, stirring it in between. Cook on a simmer till the mixture becomes thickish, will take around 30-45 minutes, and then turn off the burner.

For the tempering

Heat up the desi ghee (clarified butter) and then add the red chilli powder to it. Stir it and then remove from heat so the chilli powder doesn't get burnt.

 Garnish the hot kadhi with this tempering and serve with roti (whole wheat flat bread) and boiled rice.

Note: 

1.   In case you like the kadhi to be slightly sour the buttermilk should be kept out of the refrigerator till it takes on the sourness that suits you.

2.   For melt in the mouth pakoris the trick is to lightly beat the chickpea batter. The beating makes the batter light and results in soft pakoris.

3.  The consistency of the batter should be such that when you drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil it holds its shape.

Two months ago: Traditional festive food ... UP style

Five months ago: Musings about Desi khana