Maharashtrian Kadhi

Ingredients

for making curd mixture

• 1 cup curd (yogurt) – fresh or sour full-fat curd
• 2 to 3 tablespoons besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)
• 2 cups water

other ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds – optional
• 1 or 2 green chilies, slit
• ½ inch ginger, made into a paste or minced or grated
• 5 to 6 curry leaves
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
• salt as required
• ¼ teaspoon sugar or add as required
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)

Steps

making curd mixture

1. Combine the curd, water, and gram flour in a bowl.
2. Use a wire whisk to mix the batter until no lumps remain.

tempering maharashtrian kadhi

1. Heat either ghee or oil in a pan, then add the mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle.
2. Add the cumin if using it and stir. Follow with the green chilies, ginger, and curry leaves.
3. Sauté for a few seconds before adding the turmeric powder and asafoetida.

making maharashtrian kadhi

1. Stir the tempering before adding the yogurt, water, and gram flour mixture. Add salt and sugar to season, then stir thoroughly.
2. Bring the kadhi just to a gentle simmer.
3. Keep it simmering until it thickens slightly, stirring from time to time.
4. The kadhi thickens the longer it cooks, so simmer it to the consistency you prefer.
5. Taste the kadhi and adjust with more salt or sugar if needed.
6. Finish with a garnish of chopped coriander leaves.
7. Serve the Maharashtrian kadhi hot with steamed rice or mung dal khichdi topped with a little ghee, along with papad and pickle.