VEGETARIAN,  EGGLESS,  INDIAN CUISINE,  SAVOURY

Kadhi {Indian vegetarian yogurt curry}

“It is the food which you furnish to your mind that determines the whole character of your life.”
Emmet Fox

Kadhi  indian yogurt curryKadhi {Indian vegetarian yogurt curry}. Ask me to pick my favourite Indian curry, and chances are that kadhi will be the first thing that comes to my mind. It is the best comfort food ever, leaves me deeply satiated, fills me with nostalgia right from the aromas that rise from the first tempering. As the flavours of aesofoetida and curry leaves dance wildly in the summer air, I am transported to the air cooled house of Sheela Aunty, my mothers friend from Delhi University.

tadka spicesShe passed away several years ago, but a large part of our growing up unfolded under her wings. It is rare for even a few days to go by when we don’t exclaim like her, and then dissolve into giggles. Large-hearted, earnest, easily shocked, far too loving, the best collection of crisp summer sarees, jewellery to make the heart sing {after all she was born into one of Delhi’s leading jewelers families}, too humble, a great Indian vegetarian cook, she left a deep impact on us.

Kadhi  Indian yogurt curryI wasn’t foodily aware or obsessed at the time she was around and still rue the fact that I didn’t get a chance to chase her with paper and pencil to record recipes …I did that a lot {A LOT} after I got married in the mid 1990’s. Pages and pages were filled and I am glad I managed some. Aesofoetida was introduced into our rather differently spiced house thanks to her.

Spice Market, Khari Baoli, Old Delhi Spices became a fascination, hing or aesofoetida ‘the spice’ I fell in love with. I have grown to love the spice, not very well known in the West, very popular with Indian vegetarian food, and extremely popular down in South India too. Surprisingly enough, you see influences of the spice in non-vegetarian cuisine in Kashmir too! {One of my favourite haunts is Khari Baoli, Old Delhi to visit the spice market seen above. That was at the Lumia shoot 2 days ago}

Kadhi  indian yogurt curry tadkaNo tadka or tempering is complete without this magical ingredient, the nostalgia lingers on. So that morning when I looked at the Hamilton Beach MultiBlend Blender and Chopper on my kitchen counter, I didn’t have to think of what to make for lunch. With buttermilk and homemade yogurt in the fridge, I knew it was time for my favourite summer curry.

Kadhi  Indian yogurt curry Sometimes it seems like a bit of work, the pakoras or dumplings actually but in time I have cut the work out for me. Blenders the way to go for curry always, and the Hamilton Beach Multiblender did the job to perfection. In seconds. It also cut the work out when it came to making pakoras, or the dumplings. A friend whatsapped me the other day to say she was waiting for my review as she wanted to know how the onions got cut in the bender. A 100% good I have to say! Finer than I could ever manage, and within seconds. I love that there are two separate jars, complete with blades etc which allow you to multitask!

Hamilton Beach Multiblender chopped onionsI’ve been doing a lot more with the multiblender. Grinding oats as I develop recipes for Fit Foodie.

oatmealWhisking up delicious smoothies inspired by Aditya on Instagram. #CreateFearlessly is a great hashtag to carry. Goes in line with the ‘Good Thinking’ that spells out the Hamilton Beach line of products! ‘Really Good Thinking’. I’m loving it.

Papaya Yogurt SmoothieDid I tell you we’re not the only ones who are in love with papaya and smoothies this summer? There’s a little someone who shares every papaya that is cut in the kitchen. She makes a meal of quarter at least before it gets to the blender!

Coco & PapayaThen there is someone else smitten with the blender. The lad wakes up every morning in a somnambulent state and glides into the kitchen to make himself a frozen strawberry almond smoothie. Goes on to slurp his way through, enjoying it to the last drop, then even washes up the blender! On Mother’s Day, he  burst into my room with a tall {and really really good} glass of Guava+Strawberry+Lychee Smoothie that he conjured up for me.Guava, Strawberry, Lychee SmoothieHonestly, this is one kitchen companion I am enjoying fearlessly! There have been glasses of cold coffee, mango shakes, papaya flax seed smoothies, 3 batches of kadhi, buttermilk lassi, pineapple apricot coolers, watermelon strawberry delights, aam panna … and plenty more this last month.

Cold coffee

Smoothies etc

aam pannaThe upside is having one kid enjoying it even more. The downside? Yes there is one! The daughter has now threatened to take the Hamilton Beach MultiBlender back with her when she goes back to uni after the vacations. #CreateFearlessly might well reach the battleground between the two kids!

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Recipe: Kadhi {Indian vegetarian yogurt curry} 
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Summary: A quintessential Indian vegetarian yogurt based curry, which can be found adapted to regional taste. This is my version and it is fragrant, addictive and finger licking good. Serve this gluten free dish with boiled rice or even parathas.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

  • For the curry
  • 300g yogurt, home made or store bought
  • 250ml buttermilk
  • 1 heaped tbsp besan {chickpea flour}
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 -1/4 tsp hing {aesofoetida}
  • 1 tsp salt
  • First tempering
  • 1 1/2 tsp ghee {clarified butter}, or oil
  • Pinch hing {aesofoetida}
  • 2-3 whole red chillies
  • Few sprigs fresh currypatta
  • 1/2 tsp whole zeera {cumin seeds}
  • 1tsp sarson {whole mustard seeds}
  • 1/4 tsp whole methi seeds {fenugreek seeds}
  • Second tempering
  • 1 tsp ghee {clarified butter}
  • pinch hing
  • 2-3 whole red chillies, broken
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh curry patta
  • 1/2 tsp sarson {whole mustard seeds}
  • Pakoras {dumplings}
  • 3/4 cup besan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch baking soda
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 green chilies, broken into 2-3
  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander/curry patta, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup oil for frying {else shallow fry }

Method:

  1. For the curry
  2. Place all ingredients in the blender, and process for 30 seconds until well blended. Reserve.
  3. First tempering
  4. Keep all the ingredients ready as listed. They need to go in rapidly, one after the other, to avoid them getting burnt. The fenugreek is the last and tends to get a little bitter on over browning, so take care.
  5. Heat 1 1/2 tsp ghee in a deep heavy bottom pan, and add the ingredients as listed, ending with the methi seeds/fenugreek.
  6. Immediately pour in the blended yogurt mixture. Keep over high flame until it comes to a boil, stirring often, else it will overflow {and make you weep}.
  7. Once it comes to a boil, simmer for about 30 minutes until fragrant and cooked, stirring once in a while. Keep an eye on it on and off and it tends to come up to the rim of the pan.
  8. Pakoras
  9. Put the onions, green chilies and fresh coriander in the small blender. Chop for 30 seconds, stir, chop again to desired size.
  10. Place ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Stir in enough water to make a thickish batter of dropping consistency. Whisk well with hand to aerate the batter.
  11. Heat oil and gently drop in spoonfuls. If the batter is very thick, the pakoras will be hard. Experiment with one pakora first to check.
  12. Fry over medium heat until they turn golden on one side, then gently turn and fry the other side. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
  13. Drain from oil, blot over kitchen towels, and slide into hot kadhi/curry. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so that the pakoras get nice and soft.
  14. Final tempering {Optional. I sometimes skip this as the first tempering flavours the kadhi well}
  15. Heat ghee in a small tadka pan {frying pan}. Throw in all the ingredients. Once they sizzle and splutter, get aromatic, take off heat and pour over kadhi.
  16. Serve with boiled rice {with a side of papads if you like}

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deeba
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About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

11 Comments

  • Prasad Np

    Kadhi is an all time favorite… and surprisingly the best kadhi I had is actually made by a friend of mine… The pics as always are awesome…

  • Anshu

    Deeba – I don’t know if you remember me but we were in school together. I so enjoy your blog and the pictures are a visual delight. It is truly food for the soul as well. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes too. Inspires and motivates me to try out new things too …

  • Tarin Lindsey

    This Indian vegetarian yogurt recipe looks beautiful and fabulous .The images also looks very nutritious and delicious it attracts me. This is pretty cool and perfect for healthy eating. I think my husband like this also. I am excited to try this powerful vegetarian recipe very yummy . Thanks for this amazing blog. I am impressed!

  • Meeta

    So this is one awesome easy recipe. I am going the blender way from now on. My mum’s recipe is a keeper but your method with the blender seems like a massive tip to go for.

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