Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The Bihari Kadhi

India has a variety of kadhis, from different parts of the country. The Bihari kadhi is a one that uses badi (pakoda) dumplings. It is considered inauspicious in Bihar to prepare plain kadhi without any dumplings.

For the badi, you need: a cup of gram flour (besan), chopped green chillies, asafoetida (hing), baking powder, oil for frying, and salt.
For the kadhi, you need: two tablespoons of besan, a cup of thick curd, a couple of red chillies, black mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, half a teaspoon of chopped ginger (optional), a tablespoon of oil and salt.

Badi
  1. Mix gram flour, chopped green chillies, two pinches of asafoetida, two pinches of baking powder and salt with enough water to make a thick batter.
  2. Let the batter stay for an hour.
  3. Make small pakodas with the batter.

Kadhi
  1. Mix two tablespoons of gram flour with water to form a smooth paste.
  2. Add the curd to the paste.
  3. Add two cups of water to the mixture. Mix well.
  4. Add ginger and salt. The ginger is optional. I like this recipe with ginger.
  5. Put this mixture on heat.
  6. As the mixture starts boiling, add the badis.
  7. Boil the kadhi for another ten minutes or till the badis look soft.

Tadka
  1. Heat some oil in a pan.
  2. Put the mustard seeds, the red chillies and the curry leaves in the oil.
  3. Add a pinch or two of asafoetida.
  4. Take the pan off the fire and pour the tadka over the cooked kadhi.

Kadhi tastes great with plain rice. I enjoy it with rotis too.

11 comments:

Anala and Megha said...

I am going to try this.. i hope i dont mess it up :)

Anuradha Exwaized said...

you won't!:)
send me pics of the cooked stuff if possible.

Edamame said...

All dishes very look delicious. . I am interested in the food culture of your country. If there is time, please come in my site.
From Japan
http://food-soybean.blogspot.com/

Anuradha Exwaized said...

Thanks Edamame San, I liked your blog. Keep translating it for good recipes. Thanks.

Mrinal Deo said...

Hey ANuradha

All the dishes were amazing, as I can very well remember my childhood days when i used to stay with my parents at Sitamarhi. I'd like to know from you, how to determine the amount of turmeric powder to be added and without curd can we prepare kadhi or not?

Regards
Mrinal

Anuradha Exwaized said...

Hi Mrinal! Like salt, the amount of turmeric powder is added to the dish based on experience. If you are cooking for two, add as little as two-three pinches. If the dish is not yellow enough, add a little more. Unfortunately, the kadhi cannot be prepared without curd.

Mrinal Deo said...

Thanks anuradha for the valuable piece of information. Few days back i prepared kadhi and it was good. Bas fulaori nahi bana paya.,. Hope ki next time i will prepare that also. Keep me posted of the new dishes.

Regards
Mrinal

Tamanna said...

Hey anuradha.. Came here googling for "Bihari kadhi recipe" because I couldn;t get through to Mom's number.. Thanks a tonne for this blog. I am going to be back more often, you're saving me a lot of phone money!

Anuradha Exwaized said...

Thanks, Tamanna. I have been inactive on this blog for a while but your comment has motivated me to post more recipes. Thanks for visiting.

jayanti_dj said...

I loved your recipe..made me nostalgic and i kept on thinking about the times when neighborhood bhabhies used 2 get us kadhi ,pulav and pua for holi...
thanks

Palak Sinha said...

Hey Anuradha! I am basically from Ranchi but born and bought up in Delhi and now I am in Mumbai for the past eight years. Recenrly I got married and often I feel like cooking but don't know how to cook. But your site is wonderful. I'm gonna try this and hope it comes out well.