Gujarati Kadhi (Yogurt Curry with Cumin and Curry Leaves)

This is a very simple, thin curry. It's basically just a sauce. There's no meat, no legumes, no vegetables, no cheese. It's nice over rice, but definitely not the most substantial of meals. Having an extra bit of dal and/or some sort of vegetable dish on the side would help make it a more balanced meal.

Gujarati Kadhi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 c. plain yogurt
• 2 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. chickpea flour (besan)
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. bishop's weed
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 5 dried red Thai, cayenne, or arbol chilies, stems removed
• 12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Whisk water into yogurt.
2. Sprinkle in the chickpea flour, whisking thoroughly to avoid lumps.
3. Stir in sugar, salt, turmeric, bishop's weed, and fenugreek seeds.
4. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook until thickened (~15 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, melt ghee over medium-high heat.
6. Add cumin seeds and chilies and coo for 15-30 seconds.
7. Remove from heat and add curry leaves.
8. Once the yogurt mixture has thickened, add the ghee mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Tayyar Shaadum (Rice with Yogurt and Mustard Seeds)

I was extremely dubious of adding yogurt to rice. Especially this much yogurt. I was sure I must've misread the recipe! But no, 1 c. of rice gets 2 cups of yogurt. Yogurt and toasted (but otherwise uncooked) lentils get added to rice along with chilies, mustard seeds, and a few other seasonings. Yogurt as a topping or the base of a curry sauce is one thing, but adding it to rice just seemed really weird to me. I was unconvinced.

I was wrong!

This was excellent. Especially when served with the simple tomato curry we made to top it. What a great combination! A hot vegetable-stuffed paratha completed the meal for me. Just goes to show... don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Tayyar Shaadum

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. long-grain rice¹
• 2 c. plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (skinned split mapte beans/urad dal)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 3 fresh green Thai chilies, minced

Directions

1. Cook rice according to your preferred method.
2. Meanwhile, combine yogurt and salt.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they stop popping (30-60 seconds).
5. Add lentils and stir-fry until golden-brown (15-30 seconds).
6. Remove from heat and add cilantro, curry leaves, and chilies.
7. Add mustard seed mixture to the salted yogurt.
8. Once rice is done, stir in yogurt mixture.
9. Serve as a creamy base for any especially light and/or hot curries.

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¹ Iyer calls for (white) basmati rice, but I prefer brown for most things these days, so I just used a nice long-grain brown. ^Back

Tamatar Malai Rajmah (Kidney Beans with Slow-Stewed Tomato Sauce)

Here's an easy curry to throw together if you have time for the simmering. I replaced the minced garlic and ginger with their paste equivalents to reduce the prep work still further. I also halved the salt, black cardamom, and cayenne called for in the recipe; the first two to cater to my tastes and the second to cater to the Kidlet's.

Tamatar Malai Rajmah

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 2 (3") cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves or Indian bay (cassia) leaves
• 1-2 black cardamom pods
• 4 Tbsp. garlic paste (or 4 large cloves of garlic¹, minced)
• 2-3 Tbsp. ginger paste (or 5 [1"x2"x1/4"] slices ginger, minced)
• 3 c. water, divided
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 c. fried onion paste
• 3 c. cooked red kidney beans
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1/2 tsp. Punjabi garam masala
• 2 Tbsp. fresh minced cilantro

Directions

1. Melt ghee over medium-high heat.
2. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and cardamom pod(s) and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
3. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
4. Add 1/2 c. water, tomato paste, paprika, salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and turmeric and reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in another 1/2 c. of water, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Repeat step 6 twice more.
8. Add fried onion paste, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining 1 c. water and kidney beans and increase heat to medium.
10. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for ~15 minutes.
11. Stir in cream and Punjabi garam masala and cook until warmed through (~2 minutes).
12. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cilantro.
13. Serve with rice and/or naan.

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¹ You will probably have less than 4 Tbsp. of minced garlic. I always use a bit (or sometimes a lot) mare garlic paste than fresh garlic because its flavour is usually somewhat muted compared to fresh garlic. ^Back