Mom’s Special Dudhi Kadhi – Light & Comforting Gujarati Delight

Ingredients

• Main:
• 1 medium-sized Bottle Gourd (Dudhi)
• Kadhi Base:
• 1 cup sour curd
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• as needed Water or buttermilk
• Ginger-Chili Past:
• 1 inch Ginger & 2 green chilies, crushed using a mortar and pestle
• Seasoning:
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Tempering (Tadka):
• 1 tbsp pure ghee
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 bunch Curry leaves

Steps

1. Wash, peel, and cut the bottle gourd into equal-sized cubes. Keep them soaked in water.
2. Boil water in a pot and cook the bottle gourd cubes until they are about 75% done.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together curd and gram flour until smooth. Add water or buttermilk to adjust the consistency.
4. Add turmeric, salt, sugar, and crushed ginger-chili paste to the kadhi mixture and cook on a low flame.
5. Drain the partially cooked bottle gourd cubes.
6. Heat ghee in a pan and prepare the tempering with fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, hing, and curry leaves.
7. Add the boiled bottle gourd cubes to the tempering and saute for 5 minutes so the flavors blend well.
8. Transfer the sauteed bottle gourd into the simmering kadhi mixture and let it boil together for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and serve warm.
9. Serving Suggestion: I served this warm Dudhi ni Kadhi with simple moong dal khichdi and potato sabji for my mother-in-law. It also pairs beautifully with bajra rotla or soft phulkas.