Kadhi, or karhi, is a yogurt (or buttermilk) based dish originating from Rajasthan, India. It consists of a thick gravy made from gram flour and contains vegetable fritters called pakoras, to which dahi or yogurt is added to give it a bit of sour taste. It is often eaten with cooked rice or roti.
Yogurt and turmeric are ancient and essential ingredients in Indian cuisine, very popular today on social media for being two of the stars of the so-called healthy trend. The truth is that yes, they are very healthy, but they are also delicious and can give us dishes as comforting as this very simple Indian soup called kadhi, enriched with chickpea flour and lots of spices.
The word Kadhi is derived from the Sanskrit root kvathita which refers to a decoction or paste of turmeric, asafoetida and buttermilk. The name kadhi is also derived from several Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern India, where kadhna means 'to remove', which, in this context, means to reduce, so the yogurt and chickpea flour curry is cooked for a long time until it reduces and the consistency changes from runny to thick and creamy.
While Punjab may have a strong association with kadhi chawal, its origins date back to Rajasthan, according to celebrity chef Kunal Kapur. Kadhi is believed to have originated in the arid landscapes of Rajasthan, where cooks incorporated dairy products to compensate for the limited availability of vegetables.
Historically, kadhi was first made in Rajasthan before spreading to the Gujarat and Sindh regions. Chef Kunal explains that kadhi was traditionally prepared when families had excess milk, turning it into butter and leaving behind buttermilk (chaas) to use in preparing the dish.
In Punjab, kadhi is a quick and easy winter meal. Unlike the rest of India, yogurt may or may not be added: full fat buttermilk may be used instead. Depending on the region it is commonly tempered with red chili pepper, cumin, coriander seeds, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds.
The original recipe for this Indian soup indicates serving it on a base of basmati rice, and it certainly makes a great accompaniment. It is also a delight on its own, and could be completed with chopped hard-boiled or poached egg, leaving the yolk nice and creamy.
It is a very comforting first course also suitable to be eaten alone at dinner, with a roti or naan bread dish. In a more complete menu, it could be continued with something more Indian cuisine, such as a chicken korma or its vegetarian version with vegetables. In India it is sometimes served with vegetable pakoras, a delicious way to make the dish more consistent and adding other textures.
The following recipe is that of Punjabi Kadhi.
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 50 min
Calories per serving: 360 kcal
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the pakoras
- 200 g chickpea flour
- 50 g flour
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Onion
- 1 Potato
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 small pepper
- Fresh coriander
- 1 level teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Instant yeast
- 4 Cups oil
- Salt
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 250 g plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 400 ml water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Salt
Instructions
Prepare the sauce (kadhi) immediately. Pour the garam masala and chickpea flour into a bowl and mix well with a ladle. Add the yogurt a little at a time, mixing with a hand whisk to avoid lumps, and then dilute with the required water, always mixing.
In a saucepan, heat the seed oil, pour in the cumin seeds and toast them over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the chickpea flour and yogurt mixture, cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally and, when there are about 5 minutes left to the end of cooking, add salt to the preparation. If necessary, dilute it with a little hot water, because the sauce should be slightly creamy but still quite liquid.
In the meantime, prepare the pakoras. In a bowl, mix the flours, yeast and a pinch of salt. Gradually add the water needed to obtain a fairly liquid batter , using a hand whisk to avoid lumps: for 4 people, about 300 ml will be enough, if necessary increase or decrease the dose a little.
Clean all the vegetables, chop them and pour them into the batter. Add the spices, some coriander leaves (if you like the flavor), a sprinkle of chili pepper and season with salt.
In a pan with high edges, heat plenty of seed oil, then add the prepared mixture a little at a time, using 2 tablespoons; brown the pakoras on both sides, then remove them from the heat and place them on absorbent paper to dry the excess oil. Continue in this way until all the batter is finished.
When the kadhi sauce is ready, if you wish, blend it with an immersion blender; then add the pakoras, turn them so that they are well flavoured and serve your Indian dish immediately.
