Bhindani Kadhi

This recipe is from Tarla Dalal's cookbook. It makes a tasty and quick accompaniment for plain rice, pulav, khichdi etc. Here's how I make it:

1 cup tender okra - pat & clean with a damp cloth, spread out to dry, then slit lenghtwise in half.

2 cups buttermilk (should be fairly thin consistency)

1 tbsp ghee or veg. oil

1 tsp grated ginger

2 dry red chillies or to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tbsp gram flour

handful of chopped cilantro

1 tsp salt or to taste

2 tsp sugar or to taste

Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry the okra on low heat until tender, about 15 mins. In the meanwhile mix all the other ingredients together. Add to the okra and stirring continuously, bring it to a boil on medium high heat. Stirring continuously gives the kadhi good consistency. Then lower heat and simmer for 5 mins.  

Serve hot with rice.

This Bhindani Kadhi goes to the Flavors of Gujarat event at Simply Food.

Ragi/ Nachni chi Kadhi

I started making this ragi/nachni chi kadhi when a close family friend came to visit us 2 years back. He was mildly diabetic and had discovered that this kadhi was a natural way to combat the disorder. He brought a packet of nachni flour with him and I would make it very frequently during his stay with us. The recipe was printed on the packet itself. Though I don't make it as often now, it does feature on our menu atleast once a month. Here's how I make it:

1 cup thinned buttermilk

2 tbsp ragi/nachni flour

1/2 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

pinch of asafotida

few pieces of chopped green chillies

1 tsp coriander-cumin pwd

Salt to taste

Cilantro to garnish

Heat the ghee, add the cumin seeds and green chillies. Fry 2 mins. Reduce heat to low/medium low. Carefully add the buttermilk, stirring continuously. Add the rest of the ingredients. Keep stirring, increase heat and bring to a boil. Take off heat and serve with rice/khichdi or drink as is when slightly cooler.

This Ragi/Nachni chi Kadhi goes to the JFI - Ragi event at Madhuram's Eggless Cooking.