Kachi Haldi Ki Sabji (Fresh Turmeric Curry) is a Rajasthani winter special dish made using fresh turmeric roots, ghee, yogurt, and spices. Here is my easy recipe to make it (vegetarian, can be easily made gluten-free).
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About Haldi Ki Sabji
Kachi Haldi Ki Sabji (Fresh Turmeric Curry) is a winter delicacy and a traditional recipe from the state of royals, Rajasthan.
Made using fresh turmeric roots, ghee, yogurt, and basic everyday spices, it is nutritious, easy to make, and has a vibrant yellow hue to it.
Fresh haldi (Kachi Haldi) gives the sabji an earthy peppery flavor with a slightly bitter taste, which is balanced by the use of ghee and fresh yogurt.
This sabzi is specially prepared in winter as it provides heat to the body and helps to maintain body temperature in extremely cold temperatures.
It is popularly made during festivals, weddings, and special occasions and is traditionally served with Bajra Roti, Makki ki Roti, or Phulka.
I am sharing this traditional recipe of Rajasthan that I learned from my grandmother who hailed from the city of Jodhpur. Do try this fresh turmeric root curry in the winter season when it is available in abundance.
This recipe is vegetarian and can be easily made gluten-free, You can double or triple it too.
Here are some more Rajasthani recipes that you may like
Ingredients
Fresh Turmeric Roots (Kacchi Haldi) – It is available during winter and resembles yellow ginger root. Check your nearby Indian grocery store to source it.
Note – You can also add 50 g (1.8 oz) of Amba Haldi (Mango Ginger) along with turmeric to give this curry a tangy taste.
Green Peas – Use fresh or frozen peas.
Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – Yogurt is added to balance the heat of fresh turmeric. If you have access to homemade slightly sour yogurt, it’s the best, otherwise, use plain yogurt.
Spice Powders – You will need Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
Ghee – This dish is made only in ghee and not in oil. Ghee cuts down the bitterness of turmeric and also balances its heat. Do not reduce the quantity of ghee to make this recipe otherwise, it might turn bitter.
Whole Spices – Add in spices such as cloves (laung), green cardamom (hari elaichi), cinnamon (dalchini), and cumin seeds.
Others – You will also need asafetida (hing), green chillies, garlic, fresh ginger, salt, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
Some people also add methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) and spring onions to this curry.
Skip adding asafetida to make this curry gluten-free.
Health Benefits Of Fresh Turmeric
Fresh turmeric is packed with numerous health benefits. It contains bioactive compounds such as curcumin that have powerful medicinal properties.
Turmeric can significantly help in reducing inflammation and pain.
It also boosts the immune system, improves digestion, and promotes heart and brain health.
It also has antioxidant properties that protect the body from damage caused by free radicals.
Turmeric is also known to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
Read more about it here.
Pro Tips By Neha
Peeling fresh haldi leaves the palm yellow and it takes a few days for the color to go. So make sure to wear gloves while peeling and grating the turmeric.
Use an old bowl to keep the grated haldi. It will stain the bowl as well.
Do not use a white pan or white spatula to make this sabji.
How To Make Haldi Ki Sabji
Preparation
Wash 7 oz (200 g) of fresh turmeric root and peel it using a butter knife or a spoon.
Grate the turmeric root using the medium hole of a box grater.
Coarsely crush 2 green cardamoms, 3-4 cloves, and a 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick using a mortar and pestle.
Slit 2-3 green chilies into half, chop 3-4 cloves of garlic, grate a small piece of ginger, and chop some cilantro.
Make Haldi Sabzi
Heat ½ cup ghee in a pan over medium heat.
Note – Do not reduce the quantity of ghee. If less ghee is used, the bitterness of turmeric doesn’t go away and the curry will not taste nice.
Once the ghee is hot, add
- 2 crushed green cardamoms
- 3-4 crushed cloves
- crushed 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
and saute for 3-4 seconds.
Add
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
and fry for 4-5 seconds.
Now reduce the heat to low.
Add 7 oz (200 g) of grated turmeric to the pan and saute for 10-15 minutes until the turmeric is softened.
Keep stirring frequently to avoid it from sticking to the bottom.
Once the turmeric is softened, add
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
to the pan and mix well.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat and keep stirring frequently to avoid the yogurt from curdling.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ cup green peas to the pan and mix well.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes if using frozen peas or 10-12 minutes if using fresh peas.
Remove the lid. Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Kachi Haldi Sabji can be served with Rajasthani moti roti, Rajasthani khoba roti, bajre ki roti, or makki ki roti with a dollop of homemade ghee.
You can also serve it with phulka, tawa paratha, or lachha paratha.
Usually, it is served as a side dish with meals in smaller quantities, as it has strong flavors and also because it creates a lot of heat inside the body.
Storage Suggestions
Fresh Turmeric Sabji lasts for 3-4 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and thus many Rajasthani households make this in a little larger quantity and store it in the refrigerator to serve as a side to their meals.
Serve it at room temperature or heat it a little before serving again.
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Recipe Card
Rajasthani Kachi Haldi Ki Sabji Recipe (Fresh Turmeric Curry)
Ingredients
- ½ cup ghee
- 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi) (coarsely crushed)
- 3-4 cloves (laung) (coarsely crushed)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini) (coarsely crushed)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 7 ounce fresh turmeric roots (200 g, peeled and grated)
- ¾ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add green cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon and saute for 3-4 seconds.
- Add cumin seeds, asafetida, green chilies, garlic, and ginger, and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Now reduce the heat to low.
- Add grated turmeric to the pan and saute for 10-15 minutes until the turmeric is softened. Keep stirring frequently to avoid it from sticking to the bottom.
- Once the turmeric is softened, add plain yogurt, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder to the pan and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat and keep stirring continuously to avoid the yogurt from curdling.
- Add salt and green peas to the pan and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes if using frozen peas or 10-12 minutes if using fresh peas.
- Remove the lid. Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Abhilasha
thank you so much
Shishirdube
All your recipes are healthy and awesome.
I love to make your recipes as guide in your blog post.
They are easy to make. So thanks for the recipes.???
Neha Mathur
Thnx a lot 🙂