Spiced yogurt-based kadhi is very popular in most North Indian homes.

The ingredients may differ from region to region -- for instance, the Maharashtrian and Gujarati kadhi is made without deep-fried pakoras.

Bethica Das unusually replaces besan pakoras with chicken koftas to make a non-vegetarian kadhi that's best enjoyed with jeera rice, biryani, pulao, steamed rice, naans, tandoori rotis or chapattis.

Chicken Kofta

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For the chicken kofta

• 200 gm chicken breast or kheema
• Pinch of haldi or turmeric powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 2 tbsp chopped spring onion
• 2-3 tbsp chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro
• 2-3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• Salt to taste

For the kadhi

• 1 cup yoghurt
• 3 tbsp besan or gram flour
• 3 cups water
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• ½ tsp dhania or coriander powder
• ½ jeera or cumin powder

For the tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
• Pinch of hing or asafoetida

For the garnish

• Green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, chopped
• Few tsp pickle oil

Method

For the chicken kofta

• Place the chicken in a mixer grinder jar and make a thick paste without adding any water.
• In a bowl, mix the chicken paste with all the other kofta ingredients.
  Divide the mixture into equal parts and roll it into small, walnut-size kofta balls. Make sure you keep wetting your hands at intervals to prevent sticking.
  Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

For the kadhi

• In a deep bowl, whisk together all the kadhi ingredients.
  Heat the tempering oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or kadhai and add first the fenugreek seeds, then the mustard seeds, asafoetida.
  Saute for a few seconds allowing the mustard seeds to pop.
  Add the kadhi mix and bring it to a boil.
  Gently drop in the chicken koftas balls.
  Simmer on a medium to low heat till the koftas are cooked and the kadhi reduces to the desired consistency.
  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a drizzle of any pickle oil on hand.
  Serve with steamed rice, papad and pickle.
  Chicken kofta kadhi can also be served with steamed rice, biryani, pulao, jeera rice, naans, tandoori rotis or chapattis.

Note: Vegetarians or vegan? Instead of besan pakoras or chicken koftas, for a change add pieces of paneer or small whole onions or drumstick pieces or sticks of mooli or white radish to the yoghurt-based kadhi.

Also if vegan, use vegan yoghurt, available in several brands, to make the kadhi.

Bethica Das is a Sharjah-based food blogger.

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