North Indian Kadhi

Kadhi (Hindi: कढी) is a traditional North Indian dish like soup that is eaten with rice and roti. It is prepared by mixing chickpea flour (besan), yoghurt and water and cooked over medium heat. North indian style kadhi is usually spicy and also contains fried chickpea flour and vegetable balls pakoras



Ingredients

For the Sauce:
• 2 cups extra-mature or 'khatta' natural yoghurt
• approximately 4 cups water
• 4 tbs. gram flour or besan
• 1 tbs. cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek or methi seeds (too many will make kadhi bitter)
• A pinch of asafoetida or hing powder
• 12-15 curry leaves or Kadhi patta
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 small, dry red chillies

For Dumplings or Pakore:
• 2 cup gram flour or besan, sifted to remove lumps
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• Water to make batter
• 2 cups oil for deep frying

For Tempering or Tarka:
• 1 1/2 tbs. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder

Instructions

1. Making Kadhi Sauce:
2. Place yogurt in a bowl, add sifted besan and beat together, to make a smooth batter. Add salt, chilli, turmeric and water. Mix well.
3. Heat oil in a pan/preesure cooker(smthg deep) and add fenugreek seeds,whole red chilli,curry leaves and asafoetida powder. As soon as the cumin seeds begin to splutter or turn brown, add the yoghurt-besan mix.
4. Bring to boil, stirring frequently, until it stops trying to rise and boil over. Turn heat down to medium.
5. Let it simmer gently, until the sauce reaches a custard like consistency. Placing a heavy ladle in the pan helps to stop it from boiling over during simmering. Stirring from time to time also helps to keep it from boiling over.
6. Allow kadhi to cook on low heat for at least 1/2 hour.
7. While the Kadhi is cooking make the dumplings as follows.
8. Making Pakoras or dumplings:
9. Place all ingredients for dumplings in a bowl and make a batter with enough water. Beat it well. The trapped air is what will make them light and fluffy. Solid dumplings do not taste nice.
10. Heat oil to a medium heat (just beginning to smoke), in a wok or kadhai. When right temperature is reached, a drop of batter dropped in the oil should float sizzling to the top.
11. Drop dollops of the batter into the hot oil, either with a dessert spoon or with your fingers. Do this gently, from the side of the wok, to stop the oil from splashing on to your hands/face. Make as many at a time as can float without overlapping each other. Fry until golden brown. Keep aside.
12. When the sauce is ready, add pakoras/dumplings to the kadhi, stir and turn heat off.
13. Tempering: Before serving, heat the kadhi and place in a serving bowl.
14. Heat ghee in a large ladle or small pan. Add Chilli Powder.Pour it over the kadhi. Cover with a lid immediately. This will allow the flavours to infuse.
15. Serve with Rice or chapati.

TIP: If u dont have Khaata yogurt then to give that taste to kadhi add 1 tsp of Citric Acid..it will give the same "Khaata" taste to kadhi

I m Sending this as my Entry for Curry Mela of Srivalli