Gujarati Kadhi - Yoghurt 'Sauce'

It is very hard to describe what kadhi exactly it, it is basically a yoghurt and gram flour based sauce/soup/gravy for rice. You can also add it to dry curry dishes, like potato. I blogged Kitchri a little while ago, a soothing lentil rice dish gently spiced with turmeric and garlic - kadhi is the best companion for kitchri. You can also have kadhi with plain boiled basmati rice.

Kitri and Kadhi is wonderful when you are sick, it is simple, soothing and comforting - I think it has medicinal qualities similar to chicken soup! I got it together to make this on a weekend when we were both ill with a horrible cold virus thing that caught as at the end of a long winter, it is very easy to make and gentle on a tummy that has been punished by too many Hall's Soothers and Paracetmol pills.

Gujarati Kadhi
makes 4 portions, keeps well in the fridge for a few days

250ml natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons of gram flour / chickpea flour
about 1cm of grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp sugar
750ml cold water
salt
coriander

for tempering:
1-2 dried red chillies - depending on how hot you want it
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
vegetable or sunflower oil


1. Whisk together the yoghurt, chickpeas, ginger, water in a bowl.
2. Heat the oil and add all the tempering ingredients once the oil is hot.  When the mustard seeds begin to pop add in the yoghurt mixture and then water and salt.
3. Bring to the boil, be careful it doesn't bubble over the top. Then let simmer gently for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally to stop any lumps.
4. Taste and season again if you need to, and then add the fresh coriander.

Serve with kitchri or plain basmati rice.
The traditional way to serve it is in a small cup and let each person add the kadhi to their rice as they eat. I sometimes like to drown my rice in it, but at other times add a little to make it drier, it all depends!

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Kitchri - Yellow Lentil Rice (Gujarati Recipe)

I'm probably not selling this recipe very well in the title, but it is a really nice rice dish - eaten a lot in Gujarati homes but there are various versions from other parts of India too. It is dead cheap to make, soothing and simple, so good for poorly tummies, which there are plenty of during this long drawn out winter. It is made up of basmati rice cooked with yellow mung dal along with a little garlic, salt and turmeric simmered in the water.

It goes with 'kadhi' which is a yoghurt based spiced 'soup' (for want of a better word) which is poured liberally over the rice. You can also eat it with a thin dal soup (again for want of a better word) or have it alongside any 'curry' with sauce.

And if you are under the weather just eat it warm on it's own or with a dollop of plain yoghurt. It is also ridiculously easy to make.

You'll find yellow split lentils in larger supermarkets (I found a bag in Morrison's!), Indian supermarkets and possibly larger health food stores. And, randomly, on eBay. Normal lentils won't work for this as they are too big, also these split lentils don't need soaking, you can use them straight away.

Kitchri
Serves 4

200g basmati rice
200g yellow split lentils
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic
Sunflower or mild olive oil
Boling water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and then add in the rice and lentils and stir fry for a few minutes.
Then add in the garlic, salt and turmeric and stir fry for another minute.
Add the boiling water.
Bring to the boil and then simmer on a medium heat til the water is nearly all absorbed.
Turn down to the lowest heat, place some foil directly on top of the rice, put the lid on the pan and leave for 5 minutes to cook.
Remove the foil, check it is cooked through, fluff with a fork and then put lid back on til you are ready to serve with dal, kadhi or any sauce'curry' .

I'll be blogging dal soup and kadhi soon, so watch this space :)

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