Bhindi = Okra. Think of bhindi kadhi as a seasoned yogurt soup with okra.Traditionally, deep fried pakora (fritters) are added to kadhi. However, mom is a champion at making kadhi with different kinds of vegetables - eggplant, spinach, methi (fenugreek leaves), kulfi (purslane) etc. She made these vegetable kadhi throughout out the year and love ’em. 7 out of 10 times you will find me cooking kadhi without pakoras.
What is Kadhi?
Kadhi comes from the hindi word, ‘Kadhana’ which means stirring and boiling sauce or stock or gravy for a long time till the consistency is lacey. Originally Kadhi belongs to rajasthani (west india) cuisine. Besan ki Kadhi is made by boiling yogurt and besan (gram flour) mixture together with whole spices and herbs for long so that it attains a velvety consistency. Done the right way, a well made Kadhi is comfort food. It is made different ways all over India. Within regions, each family has its unique way to make it. Punjabi kadhi is thickish and more “yellow” looking. Gujarati kadhi has a sweet note, it has a pale yellow color and green chillies are a must.
Bhindi Kadhi
No deep fried pakoras, rather this kadhi is made with vegetables. Quick to Make. Takes half the time to make because we just have to make the yogurt base. Flavorful - Is a burst of flavors & textures- creamy, spicy, sour, homey.
If you love Bhindi, do check out these bhindi recipes- Besan Bhindi & Bhindi-Aloo
Ingredients
A few notes
Bhindi (Okra)- You can use whole frozen okra as well. Mustard Oil - Traditional punjabi kadhi is cooked in mustard oil. It pungent adds to the sharp - sour taste. However you can substitute with any neutral cooking oil. Onions- You can use pearl onions or sambar onions Yogurt - Plain and whole milk yogurt is best. I usually go for indian style malai top dahi (curd) which in my opinion is best for cooking indian dishes. However, you can use plain yogurt from brands like chobani or stony field.
How To Make Bhindi Ki Kadhi (Step Pictures)
Wash the okra, dry it and trim the ends. Long ones you can cut in half. Thick slice the onions.
Whisk gram flour, yogurt and powdered spices with water to make a lump free slurry.
Warm up a a tablespoon of oil and add the okra. Saute for a few minutes until they appear dark green. Don’t cook fully. Take out in a plate. To the same pot, add rest of the oil and let warm up. Temper with dried chilies, ginger, hing, curry leaves (if using) and whole spices. Let crackle.
Take off the stove and add the yogurt-gram flour batter mixing thoroughly. This will make sure that the yogurt won’t curdle. Let the kadhi cook on low medium for a good 15-20 minutes. It will become thickish and raw taste of besan will go away.
Add the okra and onions. Cook for another 5-8 minutes till they are soft.
Prepare the tempering and add to the top of kadhi. Done!
My Tips
If you love a thick(ish) kadhi, use a little extra (4 tablespoon) gram flour. You can deep fry the okra before if you want. If you cannot find gram flour, substitute with fine chickpea flour. Try to use mustard oil for an authentic taste. However, you can always use a neutral oil like avocado or sunflower. Temperature of Tempering :- When tempering, make sure that oil is not too hot else spices will burn. Take off the stove before adding yogurt to oil. It prevents yogurt from curdling. Stir continuously as you add the yogurt else the yogurt will curdle. Yogurt - A well made kadhi is lightly tangy. If you feel that the yogurt you have at home isn’t sour, place it in a warm place for few hours or leave it out of fridge overnight. Whisk the yogurt and gram flour thoroughly at first without adding water. This way the mixture won’t become lumpy. You can add 10-12 curry leaves while tempering if you wish. Boil the kadhi on low heat for good 22-25 minutes for a lacey consistency.
