Gujarati Kadhi ~ Seasoned Buttermilk Soup ~ Buttermilk curry

Tweet

If you have never been introduced to Gujarati kadhi in the past, the best way I can describe it to you would be as a light seasoned buttermilk "soup like" dish originating from the western region of India. Even though I refer to it as soup like,  it is actually served more like a dhal and is had with khichdi or along with plain steamed rice.  Of course it can be had like a light soup but the traditional manner in which it is served is with rice or khichdi. Here is the wiki entry for kadhi if you want to read more about it.

Khichdi with kadhi is my favorite"go to" combination for all those times when I am in the mood for some simple, nourishing comfort food. Whether I am back from a trip or just feeling a little harried or rushed, this simple combination never fails to satisfy. As is typical for a lot of dishes from Gujarati cuisine, kadhi too has a touch of sweet, a touch of tart and a touch of spice.If you are looking for a simple, home cooked, no fuss dinner one of these days, give this combination a try, I am sure you will find it immensely satisfying as well:-)

 

Click here for a printable view of this recipe

Ingredients and Method to make Gujarati Kadhi
1 cup plain yogurt (curds/dahi/thayir) + 1 cup water whisked together (or 2 cups of buttermilk)
yogurt that is slightly tart tastes good in this dish
2 tbsp chick pea flour (besan/ kadalai maavu) mixed with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi/manjal podi)
salt to taste (namak/uppu)
3 1/2 tsp grated jaggery (or a couple of tsp of sugar)

Seasoning
4 Thai or Indian variety green chilies (hari mirch/pachai molagai) cut very fine (or to taste)
1 sliver of ginger minced (adrak/inji)(optional)
1 to 1 1/2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (sarson/rai/kadagu)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera/jeeragam)
pinch of asafoetida powder (hing/ perungayam)
a few tbsp of finely chopped cilantro (coriander leaves/hara dhania/kothamalli) for garnish.

Whisk the yogurt and water together until it is smooth. Mix chick pea flour with water making sure there are no lumps formed. Add this chick pea flour + water to the butter milk and mix well.

Add salt to taste, jaggery, turmeric powder and mix well. Place on low to medium low heat and allow the mixture to heat through.

In a small pan heat oil, add mustard seeds to it. When the seeds begin  to splutter add cumin seeds. When cumin begins to sizzle add green chilies, ginger, and asafoetida powder and stir a few times. Pour this entire mixture on the buttermilk mixture and mix well.
The copyright of this content belongs to Veginspirations.com

Once the kadhi begins to froth lightly, take off the heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot over a bed of hot steaming rice, or with hot khichdi or even as a light soup.

Read more ...

Mor Kozhambu ~ South Indian style Kadhi with bhindi ~ Okra in buttermilk gravy curry

Tweet

Mor kozhambu, a simple recipe that comes from south Indian cuisine, can be best described as a soupy form of curry, for lack of  a better term to describe it. Mor is the Tamil (an Indian language) word for buttermilk and kozhambu is the tamil term for most curries that are made with a dhal or soup type consistency.  Usually it is served on a bed of plain steamed rice with a dry stir fry curry on the side. This eggplant stir fry  is my personal favorite curry in combination with mor kozhambu.

There are several variations of this kozhambu that I have learned from different members of my family and I hope to post all of them here in time. This first one, is the way my mother in law sometimes makes mor kozhambu,it is simple, quick and satisfying. This kozhambu unlike sambar or poricha kozhambu, feels quite light and is perfect for really hot days, like the ones we are experiencing right now :-)

 

Click here for a printable view of this recipe

Ingredients and method to make Mor Kozhambu

1 and 1/4 cup cut okra (bhindi/ vendakkai) (see notes)
2 cups buttermilk (slightly sour buttermilk works best for this dish)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi/ manjal podi)
salt to taste (namak/ uppu)
handful cilantro cut fine for garnish (optional) (coriander leaves/ hara dhania/kothamalli)

2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai/ sarson/ kadagu)

Grind
1 tsp oil
3 tsp split yellow chick peas (chana dhal/ kadalai parappu)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds ( methi seeds/ mendiyam)
3 Indian or Thai variety green chilies  (or to taste)
6 Tbsp fresh or frozen grated coconut (nariyal/thengai)

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed medium pan, add chana dhal and roast on a low flame. When chana dhal begins to change color and become a little pinkish/ brownish, add fenugreek/methi seeds and stir for a few seconds.

When methi seeds begin to brown, add green chilies, stir for a few seconds and remove from heat.

Cool and grind this roasted lentils along with fresh/ frozen thawed coconut and water into a smooth paste and keep aside.

In the same pan, heat oil, then add mustard seeds, when mustard seeds begin to splutter,add turmeric powder, stir once or twice, then add okra and stir until okra is cooked and soft.

The copyright of this content belongs to Veginspirations.com
Add the ground mixture to it and allow it to heat, then add buttermilk and on a low heat, heat the mixture until it froths up.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before adding salt.

Mix well, garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves) if using and serve on a bed of steamed hot plain rice

Notes
This kozhambu should not be heated to a boiling point after the salt has been added, since the buttermilk will split. So if you are refrigerating the balance of this kozhambu you can warm it on low heat and serve warm with hot rice.

Okra can be replaced with any other vegetable from the squash family or you can even use watermelon rind
just add the other vegetable, allow it to cook, adding a little water as required and then proceed with the rest of the recipe. 

You can even skip any vegetables in this entirely, just add mustard seeds, then add the coconut mixture and proceed with the rest of the recipe

If you do not have buttermilk, you can whisk together 1 cup yogurt and 1 cup water thoroughly and use in this recipe

Read more ...