Punjabi “kadhi” is a delicious yogurt and besan (chickpea flour) based curry, it’s a perfect dish for vegetarians. It’s also easy and simple to make. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables, paneer or tofu to dish if you would like. Traditionally, crunchy pakoras (fritters) are added but I thought the addition of vegetables would be a healthier option – as well as, a tasty one.

Besan (also known as gram flour or chickpea flour) is very commonly used in Indian cuisine. It is easily available in any large Indian or Asian grocery store. I have seen also it in some large grocery stores & many specialty markets as well in the larger metropolitan cities.


MIXED VEGETABLE KADHI

Ingredients:

1½ cups besan (Bengal gram or chickpea flour), sifted
2 cups good quality plain yogurt
1” piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced
2½ cups of vegetables (I used small cauliflower florets, green peas, carrots & red bell pepper)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi), crushed
pinch of asafetida (hing)
4-6 fresh curry leaves
2-3 dried red chilies
salt, to taste
3 cups water
2 tbsp oil (vegetable or canola)
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish


METHOD:

Trim & prepare all of the vegetables - cutting them into small equal size pieces. Set aside until needed.

In a saucepan on low heat, whisk together the flour and yogurt until smooth. Add the salt and turmeric. Add the water and whisk to combine all the ingredients. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Set aside until needed.

In a small skillet on medium high, add the oil. When hot, carefully add the black mustard seeds. After the splattering subsides, add the cumin and fenugreek seeds. After 30 seconds, add the asafetida, curry leaves and dried red chilies. Stir well and add the ginger along with the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables until they have just softened. Then remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly and add to the yogurt sauce. Mix well to combine & let cook for just a few minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately with hot rotis and fragrant Basmati rice.


VARIATIONS:

Feel free to add some cooked chickpeas, edamame, raisins or toasted unsalted cashew pieces to the dish.

You can also add some green beans, pumpkin/squash pieces, broccoli florets, green bell peppers, zucchini, potatoes, snow peas, mushrooms, baby corn, parsnips, eggplant…

I also love a simpler version of this dish using only baby spinach, it's warm & comforting :-)


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