Boondi Ki Kadhi (Cickpea Flour Yogurt Sauce)

It is a tangy, tempered sauce prepared by mixing chickpea flour (besan), yogurt and water and cooked over medium heat. Tangy flavour in kadhi comes from sour yogurt. Instead of fritters, boondi (savoury) is added to make it quickly.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp besan ( Gram flour)
• 1 cup yogurt churned to get smooth paste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 whole dried red chili
• ¼ tsp asafetida powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 cup Boondi ( It is a small pea shaped savoury available in Indian Grocery Stores)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Mix yogurt, 8 cups of water, 2 tbsps of bengal gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder,coriander powder and salt to taste. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
• In a deep pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When it stops spluttering, add cumin and fenugreek seeds and garlic.
• Now add besan yogurt mixture to it and stir continuously.First cook on a high flame till the mixture boils. Simmer then and allow to cook slowly. Add water if necessary.
• Boil for 2-5 minutes. Add Boondi and take out in a serving dish.
• Adjust sourness by adding lemon juice.
• Tempering: To make ‘tadaka' (tempering), heat ghee in a small pan , add asafoetida and whole dried red chillies. Now add tomato chunks, cook for 1 minute, add ½ tsp red chili powder and immediately pour over kadhi before chili powder gets burned.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Do You Know:

Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida), also known as devil’s dung, stinking gum, Hing (in Hindi), is a native of Iran.
The Persians considered it was food for the Gods.
Asafoetida has certain medicinal uses and most commonly is used as a digestive aid. It is reputed to lessen flatulence.