Gujarati kadhi with rice
Gujarat's thin, gently sweet and sour kadhi: curd and besan simmered with ginger and green chilli, with no turmeric so it stays white, then tempered in ghee with cloves, cinnamon, methi seeds and curry leaves. It is eaten with plain rice, and khichdi-kadhi is the classic Gujarati supper; Kathiawadi homes make it less sweet, and some add pakoras. It has no onion or garlic, and a Jain home just leaves out the ginger.
- 30 minTime
- 17 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 10 gprotein per portion
- 420kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 400 gCurd, a day or two old, slightly sour
- 3 tbspBesan
- ≈ 700 mlWater
- 1 tspGinger, grated
- 2Green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbspSugar
- to tasteSalt
- 1 ½ tbspGhee
- 3 mlMustard seeds
- 3 mlCumin, seeds
- 1 mlFenugreek seeds
- 4Cloves
- 2 gCinnamon, 1 small stick
- 2Dried red chillies
- 1 sprigCurry leaves
- 1 mlHing (asafoetida)
- 2 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped
On the side
- 300 gRice, basmati or kolam
- ≈ 700 mlWater, for the rice
Method
- Whisk the curd and besan in a large bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps, then whisk in the water.
- Pour it into a heavy-bottomed pot with the ginger, green chillies, sugar and salt and bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time so the curd doesn't split.
- Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the kadhi is smooth, slightly thickened and no longer tastes of raw besan. It should stay thin.
- Meanwhile, wash the rice, put it in a pan with the water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.
- Cover and cook the rice on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then keep it covered off the heat until you serve.
- For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin. When they splutter, add the methi seeds, cloves, cinnamon, dried red chillies, curry leaves and hing and pour it straight into the kadhi. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve the kadhi with the rice.
