Bitter gourd Kadhi

Serve this nutritious dish with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp besan ( Gram flour)
• 2 cups sour yogurt churned to get smooth paste
• 1 bitter gourd (karela) sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 5-6 green chilies longitudinally sliced
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp panch phoran
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 whole dried red chilies
• ¼ tsp asafetida powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped coriander
• 1 cup Boondi ( It is a small pea shaped savory available in Indian Grocery Stores)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Mix yogurt, 8 cups of water, Bengal gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
• In a deep pan heat oil. Add asafetida powder and panch phoran seeds. When they stop spluttering, add garlic and whole red chilies.
• Now add besan yogurt mixture to it and stir continuously. First cook on a high flame till the mixture boils. Simmer then and allow cooking slowly.
• Add sliced bitter gourd, sliced onion and green chilies.
• Boil for 8-10 minutes. Add water if necessary.
• Add Boondi and chopped coriander leaves (keep few for garnishing). Take out in a serving dish. Adjust sourness by adding lemon juice.
• Tempering: To make ‘tadaka’, heat ghee in a small pan, add pinch of asafetida and ½ tsp red chili powder, pour immediately over kadhi before chili powder gets burned.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with plain boiled rice or Roti and sabji of your choice.

Do You Know?

Fenugreek seeds contain a high percentage of mucilage - a natural gummy substance present in the coatings of many seeds. Although it does not dissolve in water, mucilage forms a thick, gooey mass when exposed to fluids. This soft mass is not absorbed by the body, but instead passes through the intestines and triggers intestinal muscle contractions. Both actions promote the emptying of intestinal contents. Therefore, fenugreek is a mild but effective laxative.