Kadi ( Thick gravy of besan/ gram flour in curd with pakodas )

Kadi

Kadi is made in almost all over India though in different style. The one being mentioned today is most popular and is made in northern part of India.In North India Kadi is relished with rice. In Kumaon it is called besan ke Dubke और payo (प्यो). Thick broth of gram flour (Besan) with curd seasoned with cumin, hing, red chili powder and having floating pakodas is simply irresistible and my children used to finish half of it before it used to come on table.

Preparation Time     5 min.

Cooking Time        60 min.

Servings:  Makes eight large servings.

Ingredients Required For Making Kadi:-

• 200 gm. Besan (black gram flour)

Besan

• 250 gm. Thick Curd 

Curd

•   Salt to Taste
•  1/2 Tea spoon Cumin Seeds

•  1/2 Tea spoon Mustard Seeds

Mustard seeds

• 1/2 Tea spoon Methi seeds

Fenugreek seeds

•  1 Dry Red Chili
•  Oil for frying
•  Water

Direction For Making Kadi:-

Step 1

Making the Pakodas(dumplings of gram flour)

• Take 100 ml. of oil in a wok and heat it on high flame.
• Lower the flame when the oil is smoking hot.
• Take 100 gm. of besan in a bowl.
• Add 1/2 tea spoon of cooking oil, salt, and mix.
• Add water slowly and beat with your fingers / fork / spoon to make batter.
• The batter should be of pourable thickness, and it should be free of lumps.
• Beat the batter for 5min. to make it fluffy.

Batter for pakoda

•  With the help of a spoon pour little amount to the hot oil (the amount of batter you put in oil for frying depends upon the size of pakodas you want.

Pakodas being fried

 Put the flame on high and fry the pakodas golden brown by turning them regular.

Fried Pakoda for kadi

• Take the fried pakodas and soak them in water.

Pakodas being soaked in water

 Step 2

Making Kadi

• Beat curd with an egg beater or in the mixer to smooth paste.
• Take 75gm. Of besan in a bowl and add curd paste with regular beating.

Besan and curd mixture

•   Add salt, turmeric powder and 250 – 300 ml. water and mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed.
• Take 1ml. oil in a wok and heat and heat on high flame till smoking hot.
• Put mustard seeds, cumin seeds and in the last methi seeds.
•  Let the seeds splutter for 10-15 sec.
• Lower the flame and add the mixture of besan, curd, salt and water to the wok.
• Mix thoroughly and put the flame to high.
• Cook with regular stirring till it starts boiling.



Besan - curd mixture of kadi being cooked with seasoning




• Once it starts boiling lower the flame and cook for at least 30 min.
• Keep on adding water to maintain the consistency of kadi. 
•  More the kadi is cooked better the taste becomes.
• Squeeze the excess water from the soaked pakodas gently by pressing between your palms.
• Add the pakodas to the kadi and give it a gentle stir and cook for two min.

Kadi being cooked with Pakodas

• Take out cooked kadi in a serving bowl .
•  For garnishing take 2 ml. of oil in a pan heat.
• When hot add red chili let the chili become brownish red then red chili powder, asafetida and immediately pour over kadi.

Kadi with garnishing of red chilli powder and cumin seeds

• You can decorate with few leaves of coriander or by sprinkling little amount of kasoori methi.

 Kadi is ready to be enjoyed with rice. Some people like kadi with chapatti also, but in whole of northern India kadi has one and only one companion that is RICE. Make some vegetable of spinach / methi or any other vegetable and you have a complete meal!!.

Enjoy your Sunday lunch with your family eating Kadi Chawal (cooked rice).

Kadi,Rice and palak (spinach )ki sabji

Tips:-                                                 

• Do not decrease the amount of curd as the taste of kadi will not come out as it should be.

• The amount of curd can be increased it will make the kadi more tasty.

• Pakodas should be soft otherwise the kadi will not seep into the pakodas.

• While preparing the garnish, make sure the chili powder retains its red color.

• Asafetida should be added last and the oil poured immediately over kadi.

Suggested Variations:

• For healthier eating pakodas can be avoided and thin 2-3 cm. long pieces of beans, carrots,cauliflower can be added to Kadi once it is half cooked so that the vegetables get cooked in kadi yet remain crisp.