Tamatar Kadhi

Tangy, tasty Tomato Kadhi goes well with plain boiled rice and Aloo Ki Sookhi Sabji.

Ingredients:

For the Kadhi:

• 2 cups yogurt ( sour)
• 4 cups water
• 2 big red tomatoes chopped fine
• 1 medium onion chopped fine
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2-3 green chilies split lengthwise
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 4-5 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

For Tempering:

• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• Big pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2 dried whole red chilies

Method:

• Mix the yogurt, water, besan and turmeric powder, Whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.
• In a deep pan or wok heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. When they stop spluttering, add the besan yogurt mixture slowly, stirring constantly, and bring it to a boil, cooking about 4-5 minutes.
• Make sure you stir the yogurt mixture or it will curdle. Reduce wok heat if ingredients start to boil over.
• Once liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth and silky, for about 45-50 minutes.
• In a separate frying pan heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add onion and garlic and fry until the onion is tender. Now add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt to taste; cook until tomatoes are mushy. Add this tomato mixture to the boiling Kadhi and stir well.
• Adjust thickness of sauce with the extra cup of boiled water (continuous simmering of Kadhi makes it thicker so go on adding boiled water if Kadhi becomes very thick).
• When Kadhi is ready turn off the heat. Add ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and take it out in a serving dish.
• Prepare ‘Tadka’: To temper Kadhi, heat ghee in a small pan, add asafetida, dry red chili and ½ tsp red chili powder; immediately pour this over Kadhi in dish before chili powder gets burned.
• Serve with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Do You Know?

Method to make Gram flour at home:

Take pre-cooked chickpeas, rinse thoroughly and drain. Spread evenly across an un-greased baking tray and cook on medium heat for 2–3 hours then turn off oven and leave overnight to cool. Place into a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine consistency.