Gatta Kadhi

Gatta Kadhi

Every time my brother and SIL visit us, we try our best to visit places together and also take good packed lunch with us so we can just spread our blanket in a nice place and enjoy nature at its best. My brother said he fancies having kadhi and also described one that he used to have when he was working in North India. I figured he was describing something made with besan added to the kadhi. I first thought it was pakoda kadhi and thought I will make fried pakodas for him. On second thoughts I wondered if it was gatta that he was referring to. The first time I came across gatta was on a television program where the presenter was Rajasthani and she was explaining how it was a common thing there and that it was considered a good form of protein for vegetarians as it is made with chickpea flour. Gatta is nothing but gram flour/chickpea flour dumpling. Anyway, I then looked up a book by Tarla Dalal and ever so slightly adapted the recipe to make this wonderful kadhi that everyone liked. Don’t get overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, trust me it is very simple to make...

For the gattas:

¾ cup besan
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon yogurt
Turmeric powder
Pinch of ajwain (carom seeds) aka omam
1-2 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

For the kadhi:

2 cups yogurt
2 tablespoon besan
Few curry leaves
1 teapsoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
Asafoetida
A small piece of ginger
1 bay leaf

1 stick cinnamon

2 cloves
Turmeric powder
2 teaspoon chilly powder
2 teaspoon coriander powder
Oil
Salt to taste

To make gatta:

Mix all ingredients and make a firm dough using little water

Roll into a cylinder and cut into about inch long piece, ensure each piece is bite size. Boil these in plenty of water for about 7-8 minutes. It is important that the water is boiling before putting the gattas in. If required you can cut them further now

To make Kadhi

Beat the besan and yogurt together and add some water to thin it and ensure there are no lumps.

Heat little oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ginger, bay leaf, asafoetida, cinnamon, cloves and once the seeds crackle add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder

Add this to the yogurt besan mixture and allow to just boil on low flame

Add the gatta and simmer for few minutes and add salt

Serve hot with rice!

You can enjoy this as a soup as well so the gattas fill you up while the yogurt cools you down.