Besan ki kadhi is smooth curry made with buttermilk and gram flour (besan), tempered with a lots of spices which introduce many flavours in simple kadhi. Besan ki kadhi is spicy and tangy with the heat of red chillies and the flavours of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds etc. Besan ki kadhi can be served with hot chapatis or steamed rice. Generally fritters (pakora) made using gram flour (besan) are also added to the kadhi, this is however recipe for plain kadhi without pakora.
Besan ki kadhi calls for buttermilk and gram flour and both of them in correct proportion. Generally besan kadhi is prepared using yogurt and gram flour; I like to use this recipe because it makes very smooth and nice kadhi. Slighlty sour buttermilk works best for besan kadhi. Kadhi is garnished with lots of fresh coriander and separate tempering of clarified butter (ghee) and red chilli powder is added at the end. I like to make a separate tempering so that everyone in the family can add as per his or her taste and relish. I have used ghee for both the tempering. You can use oil. More than the ingredients it is the time that goes into making besan kadhi. “Jo kadhi (verb) nahi wo kadhi (noun) nahi”… basically it is important to simmer kadhi for sufficient time to get the proper taste and consistency.
1. Prepare mixture of buttermilk and gram flour and spices :
Tips:Ensure that there are no lumps.
2. Prepare tempering : Heat a pan. Add 1 tbsp clarified butter. Once it is hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds. Cook till aromatic. Add a good pinch of asafetida and cook for 10 seconds. Switch off the flame and add 1 whole dry red chilli and handful of curry leaves. Let them crackle.
3. Add mixture to tempering and simmer : On low flame, add the prepared mixture of buttermilk and gram flour into the tempering. Keep stirring till it comes to a boil. Thereafter let it simmer for 45-60 minutes. Add water as and when required as per the desired consistency. When the kadhi is almost ready, add in salt to taste. Check the seasoning and consistency and adjust the same as per your taste.
Tips: Continuous stirring till first boil and adding salt towards the end ensures that the kadhi doesn’t curdle.
4. Prepare and add second tempering : Heat 2 tbsp clarified butter. Once it is hot, switch off the flame and add 1 tsp red chilli powder. Pour the second tempering on the prepared kadhi.
Tips: You can keep the tempering separate and add at the time of each serving. To ensure that the red chilli powder doesn’t burn, add 1-2 tbsp water.
5. Bon appétit : Garnish with lots of chopped fresh coriander. Serve besan ki kadhi with sooji ki instant idli.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME 30 minutes
1.Prepare mixture of buttermilk and gram flour and spices
In a mixing bowl add 2 cups buttermilk, 2 tbsp gram flour, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp red chilli powder. Mix everything very well.
Important: Ensure that there are no lumps.
2.Prepare tempering
Heat a pan. Add 1 tbsp clarified butter. Once it is hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds. Cook till aromatic. Add a good pinch of asafetida and cook for 10 seconds. Switch off the flame and add 1 whole dry red chilli and handful of curry leaves. Let them crackle.
3.Add mixture to tempering and simmer
On low flame, add the prepared mixture of buttermilk and gram flour into the tempering. Keep stirring till it comes to a boil. Thereafter let it simmer for 45-60 minutes. Add water as and when required as per the desired consistency. When the kadhi is almost ready, add in salt to taste. Check the seasoning and consistency and adjust the same as per your taste.
Tip: Continuous stirring till first boil and adding salt towards the end ensures that the kadhi doesn’t curdle.
4.Prepare and add second tempering
Heat 2 tbsp clarified butter. Once it is hot, switch off the flame and add 1 tsp red chilli powder. Pour the second tempering on the prepared kadhi.
Tip: You can keep the tempering separate and add at the time of each serving.
Tip: To ensure that the red chilli powder doesn’t burn, add 1-2 tbsp water.
5.Bon appétit
Garnish with lots of chopped fresh coriander. Serve besan ki kadhi with sooji ki instant idli.
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