I had some excess yogurt at home and I had bought Spinach to make Palak Paneer, but when I asked my partner if he fancies having palak paneer, he did not sound too excited about it. Immediately I thought I can make “Palak Kadhi / Spinach Kadhi” (पालक की कढ़ी). This palak kadhi recipe offers me to to kill three birds in a go. 1. I can use yogurt, 2. I can use my spinach and lastly it gives me a good meal too.
What is Kadhi
Kadhi also spelled as karhi is a curry kind of dish, which originates from Indian subcontinent. It is made from gram flour and yogurt (dahi) and sometimes deep fried vegetable fritters are also added. Normally its consumed with rice. “Kadhi Chawal” aka Kadhi rice is one of the most devoured food in northern part of India.
Spinach Kadhi
To make spinach kadhi, you do not use fritters, or dumplings, as used in punjabi kadhi. Instead kadhi is made by adding fresh spinach leaves. This Palak kadhi is also a good way to feed green too (or well I would like to have this wishful thinking). Since no dumplings, it makes the cooking relatively easier.
So here I am with my latest recipe of Spinach Kadhi recipe. Spinach kadhi not only got the taste, it has goodness of spinach and is gluten free too (if not using asafoetida). This one is again a simple recipe, however making good Kadhi is bit tricky.
Many people get problem that when the yogurt / curd is added, it splutters, leaving an ugly texture and undesired taste. The key to good Kadhi is constant stirring when adding yogurt. I will strongly recommend that you try out on smaller portions first (if you trying for first time).
Method
- First of all wash and chop spinach. I used baby spinach so I didn’t chopped them but if you using big leaf spinach leaves then chop them into 2-3 pieces.
- Whisk the yogurt for 1-2 minutes to make it smooth and creamy.
- Take a big wide open Kadhai / pan and put it on medium flame. Keep water and whisked yogurt ready by your side. Now add oil to the pan and when it’s warm add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add 2-3 dried red chilli and onions and fry them till they are pinkish brown in colour.
- Add spinach and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder to it and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the whisked yogurt with one hand and continuously stir it with other hand and increase the flame to high. Don’t stop stirring anytime otherwise your yogurt will curdle and your kadhi would be spoilt. Add water and continuously stir it till it gets first boil. After first boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Now add salt to the kadhi and let it cook for 3-4 minutes more. Add garam masala now and switch off the flame.
Tempering Kadhi
For tempering take 1 teaspoon oil in a big spoon or ladle and heat it. Add rest of the dried red chilli and Kashmiri mirch powder. Fry them for one minute and add to the kadhi.
Pro Tips – Palak Kadhi Recipe
- For good kadhi, you need to use bit sour yogurt. If you do not have sour yogurt, add bit of amchur (dry mango powder) and mix it in besan.
- When adding yogurt, you need to be constantly stirring, else yogurt will curdle.
- Use fresh spinach leaves for best taste.
- Add salt only after kadhi starts boiling.
- Kadhi made in mustard oil tastes best.
- For tempering use clarified butter (ghee) to get best taste.
This Spinach (palak) Kadhi
- Is good way to get greens in the diet
- tastes extremely flavourful
- Is not vegan. Use vegan yogurt to get vegan kadhi
- Can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Serving Suggestion
Serve pipping hot kadhi with plain steamed rice.
Much like me if you too look for feeding greens to your kids, you can try my other green based recipes like, Palak Paneer, Palak Paneer Paratha, Spinach Egg Curry, Palak Poori, Beetroot Paneer Curry, etc.
There are few other variants of Kadhi, like Gujrati Kadhi and Sindhi Kadhi. If you have bit of sweet tooth try this Gujrati Kadhi.
I will also love to hear from you if you have tried any other Kadhi.
Other Kadhi Recipes from my blog
Punjabi Kadhi
Parsley Kadhi
Recipe Card
Palak Kadhi
Ingredients
- 400 Grams Spinach / Palak
- 1 Kilogram Fresh sour Yogurt / curd
- 1/2 Cup Gram flour / Besan
- 1 Onion Medium Size – Thinly Sliced
- 1/3 Teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Fenugreek seeds / methi daana
- 4-5 Dried Red Chillies
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dry Mango Powder / Amchur Optional
- 1 Teaspoon Salt As Per Taste
- 1/3 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 2 Cup Water
- 2 Tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- First of all wash and chop spinach. I used baby spinach so I didn’t chopped them but if you using big leaf spinach leaves then chop them into 2-3 pieces.
- Whisk the yogurt for 1-2 minutes to make it smooth and creamy. If your yogurt is not sour, you can add amchur powder to it now and then add gram flour/ Besan to it and again whisk it so that it is completely mixed in yogurt without forming any lumps.
- Take a big wide open Kadhai/pan and put it on medium flame. Keep water and whisked yogurt ready by your side. Now add oil to the pan and when it’s warm add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add 2-3 dried red chilli and onions and fry them till they are pinkish brown in colour.
- Add spinach and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder to it and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the whisked yogurt with one hand and continuously stir it with other hand and increase the flame to high. Don’t stop stirring anytime otherwise your yogurt will curdle and your kadhi would be spoilt. Add water and continuously stir it till it gets first boil. After first boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Now add salt to the kadhi and let it cook for 3-4 minutes more. Add garam masala now and switch off the flame.
- Now for tempering take 1 teaspoon oil in a big spoon or ladle and heat it. Add rest of the dried red chilli and Kashmiri mirch powder. Fry them for one minute and add to the kadhi.
- Serve your kadhi hot and enjoy with rice or roti.
Notes
- You can add pakoras too in this kadhi. For that refer to my other punjabi kadhi recipe.
- Kadhi tastes superb when made in mustard oil.
- Adding amchur powder is entirely your choice if you like your kadhi to be sour.
- Add salt only after kadhi starts boiling.