Spicy Indian Yoghurt Gravy (Kadhi)

Recipe

This dish has 2 components : Spicy yoghurt gravy + vegetable dumpling

For Spicy yoghurt gravy

• 1 cup plain yoghurt (sour yoghurt taste best)
• 2 tablespoon chickpea flour
• 1/4 tsp of asafoetida (optional)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp fresh/dry fenugreek leaves OR 5-7 curry leaves
• 2 tsp oil (vegetable/ canola or any neutral smelling oil). you can also use ghee/clarified butter instead for a richer taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 medium green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 cups water

For vegetable dumpling

• 1/3 cup chickpea flour
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium green chilli, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)
• oil to fry

Method

We will start with making the spicy yoghurt gravy and mid way we will make the vegetable dumplings.

Spicy Yoghurt gravy

1. Take a deep mixing bowl. To this, add the yoghurt and whisk till smooth. Next add in the chickpea flour and combine well.
2. To this, add the salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and mix. Now slowly add in water (half glass at a time) and mix well till the mixture is homogenous. Keep aside.
3. Now take a deep pot and put on high flame. Add in oil, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
4. Next, add in the ginger, green chilli, fenugreek leaves and/or curry leaves and cook for about half a minute.
5. Now ad in the yoghurt mixture and let it cook on high till the mixture boils. Once it boils, reduce the flame to low and cover the pot with a lid. Let it cook on simmer for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the gravy in intervals. The gravy tends to overflow from the pot so make sure to cover the lid partially, leaving some space.

While the yoghurt gravy cooks, we will prepare the vegetable dumplings.

Vegetable dumplings

1. Take a bowl. Add in the chickpea flour, salt, garam masala and red chilli powder and combine. Next add in the water and mix well till the mixture is homogenous. The batter should be a little thick but pouring consistency.
2. Next add in the chopped onion, green chilli and combine with the batter till the onions are well coated. You will notice that the mixture is now semi solid. The mixture is now ready for frying
3. Now take a frying pan and add enough oil for frying. heat till the oil is hot.
4. Next, with the help of a spoon, drop spoonfuls of mixture in the hot oil and fry till golden brown. remove on paper towel and keep aside. I like to use hands to take some mixture at a time and drop in the hot oil. You can also add in chopped potatoes and fresh fenugreek leaves to this batter.

• After 20 minutes or as soon as the dumplings are prepared, add the dumplings to the spicy yoghurt gravy/ kadhi and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes and then shut the flame.

• Let the kadhi rest for about 15 minutes before serving. The resting time will help the dumplings to soak in the yoghurt gravy and become juicy. Kadhi is ready. Serve it with chapatis or Basmati rice.