Bari Kadhi

Recipe Source : Ma

My parents are here these days, and I have been learning a whole lot of recipes from them. Bari (Pakora) Kari (Kadhi) is a popular dish in Bihar. Unlike the other Kadhis where the fritters are made with either Spinach or Potato or Onion, here the fritters are made with besan (chickpea flour) only. Without further ado, I present to you, my Ma's signature Kadhi recipe.
For the Fritters (Bari)
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1/4 tsp haldi powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch baking soda
Salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients with a little water to make the batter, like you would to make pakoras. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile fill a bowl with cold water and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Taking a little batter in your palm or a spoon, drop the batter in the hot oil and deep fry till the pakora turns a light golden brown. Remove and drop in the bowl of cold water. Continue till all the batter is finished and the pakoras are soaking in the cold water.
For the Kadhi
1 cup besan
1 1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp haldi powder
3/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground garam masala powder
1 tsp each cumin powder & coriander powder
1 tomato, chopped
Salt to taste
6 cups water
1/2 tsp oil
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Mix besan + yogurt + haldi powder + red chilli powder + cumin powder + coriander powder + salt + 6 cups of water. Heat oil in a dutch oven and add this besan-yogurt mix. Cook on medium heat till the raw smell of besan disappears and the gravy begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add the garam masala and chopped tomato and cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes. Remove the pakoras (fritters) from the water and add to the gravy. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Tadka
1/2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chilli, broken into 2 and de-seeded
1/4 tsp asafoetida(hing)

Heat oil in a small pan and add the hing. Now add the red chilli and cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to sizzle, add the tadka to the Kadhi. Now add the chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!!

Potato Kadhi

Kadhi comes under the "comfort food' category for me. In my house, kadhi is universally loved and Ma would sometimes add Pakoras (fritters), sometimes Potato, sometimes plain Boondi ... served with plain rice and pickle ... it was pure bliss.
This is my sister's recipe. Instead of the Pakoras, I added 2 potatoes, but the basic recipe remains the same. I generally make a large batch and have it over the next couple of days :)
2 cups yogurt
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Few curry leaves
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 dry red chillies, broken into two
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp amchoor powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder, divided
4 cups water
Salt to taste
Oil
In a mixing bowl, mix yogurt and besan till smooth and there are no lumps in the batter. Now add 4 cups water and turmeric powder and mix well.
Heat oil in a large pan. Add the hing + mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, add the cumin seeds + curry leaves +methi seeds + dry red chilli + chopped onion. Cook on medium heat till the onion begins to brown. Now add the yogurt-besan mix, cubed potato, salt, coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, amchoor powder. Bring to boil, lower heat and cook till the yogurt-besan mix and potatoes are cooked, stirring occasionally. In a small pan, heat a little ghee/ oil and add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder. Mix and pour over the kashi. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional), and serve hot with plain boiled rice and Mango pickle. Enjoy!

Dahi Vada

I enjoy dahi vadas. Back home, my Ma and her friend Aunty N would make the vadas with a filling - it was so good. I still haven't mastered how to make a whole in the center of the Vadas - believe me it is a learning in progress.

My recipe for the Dahi vadas has been adapted in part from my Ma's version and my elder sis D's version.



1 cup urad dal, picked, washed and soaked overnight in warm water
2 green chilli, finely chopped
4 cups yogurt + 1 cup
1 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp Tamarind-Date chutney (available in the Indian grocery stores)
1 tbsp each of chopped coriander and mint leaves
Oil

Grind the urad dal with little water to a smooth paste. Add the chopped green chillies, hing and salt and mix.

Heat oil in a pan. Take about a tbsp of batter in your palm and roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly and drop the batter carefully into the hot oil. Fry till golden. Remove and keep on Paper towel to drain off the extra oil.

Fill a pan with water and soak the vadas in it for about 2-3 minutes. In another pan, mix 1 cup yogurt with water to make a mix that is thinner or almost of buttermilk consistency. Squeeze the vadas gently to drain out the water and put them in this yogurt-water mix for a minute. Squeeze gently to remove water.



Whisk yogurt, salt, sugar and red chilli powder together till smotth. If the consistency is thick and just a little water. Now place the vadas carefully, covering them with yogurt. Garnish with a little red chilli powder, a little tamarind-date chutney and the coriander-mint leaves. Enjoy !!