Boondi Kadhi Recipe
Boondi Kadhi is a yogurt and chickpea flour-based curry popular in North India. It is best served with steamed rice for a hearty lunch.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) at room temperature, cold yogurt curdles when it hits heat.
- ½ cup chickpea flour (besan, gram flour) sifted
- 3 and ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup boondi
For The Tempering
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
Instructions
Make The Kadhi
- Whisk yogurt in a medium-sized bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chickpea flour to the bowl and whisk well to make a smooth lump-free mixture.
- Add water to the bowl and mix well until combined.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafetida, and let them crackle for 2-3 seconds.
- Now add the chickpea flour mixture to the pan and mix well.
- Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook the kadhi for 20-25 minutes until it thickens. Stir frequently.
- Add boondi and mix gently. Simmer for 3–4 minutes so the boondi absorbs the gravy and softens. Switch off the heat.
Pro Tip: The No-Lump Rule: The besan mixture must be lump-free. Always sift besan before mixing. If you see lumps, pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
Don’t Rush the Cook: Undercooking the besan gives kadhi a raw, floury taste that no tadka can fix. Taste after 20 minutes, it should taste clean and tangy, not gluey.
Keep the flame low after the initial boil. Aggressive heat breaks the emulsion and splits the kadhi.
Temper The Boondi Kadhi
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add the broken, dry red chilies and fry for 2 seconds.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the red chili powder.
- Now, immediately pour the tempering over the kadhi. Be quick after adding the chili powder to the hot oil; otherwise, it may burn.
- Serve hot.
If your kadhi is not tangy enough, add some lime juice.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 740mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 593IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 5mg
