One of my favourite things to make when I can’t think of anything else to make is Gujarati Kadhi. This dish comes from the western state of Gujarat and was taught to me by a friend in college – M. The recipe has undergone many changes in the years that I’ve been making it. Kadhi can also be drunk as a yoghurt soup. The taste is a bit sour with slightly sweet undertone.

Ingredients:

2 cups slightly sour yoghurt

2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seed powder (jeera powder)

1 tsp coriander seed powder (dhaniya powder)

2 green chillies, cut into big pieces and slightly smashed

2 inch piece ginger cut into fairly big chunks and slightly smashed

3 cups of water

For the tempering

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

a handful of curry leaves

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

2 dried red chillies, broken

coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

In a big vessel, beat the yoghurt well and keep aside. In another smaller bowl take the besan and add the spices (salt, sugar, chilli powder, coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder) and beat well. Mix this with the yoghurt, adding water to make the consistency. Now add the ginger and green chillies. Leave it aside for about 10 minutes, this will allow the flavours to blend in well. Now put it on the gas and let it simmer for another 10 minutes making sure that gas is low and the mixture does not come to a rolling boil. When it starts boiling switch off the gas. In another small skillet, heat the oil and put the mustard in first. When it starts sputtering, put in the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Stir it for a couple of seconds and then put the whole mixture into the kadhi. Garnish with coriander leaves and eat hot with rice or rotis or even drink it like a soup!