Chhattisgarhi Palak Kadhi Spinach Yogurt Curry

Method

1. 1

   Blanch the spinach: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped spinach. Boil for 2 minutes until wilted. Drain immediately. Run cold water over the spinach to stop cooking and preserve the green colour. Squeeze out excess water. Blend coarsely in a mixer — 10 seconds only. Keep aside.

2. 2

   Make the kadhi base: Whisk 1 cup yogurt completely smooth. Add gram flour and whisk until no lumps remain. Add 3 cups water while whisking. Add turmeric and salt. Push through a strainer if lumps remain.

3. 3

   Cook the kadhi: Pour the yogurt mixture into a heavy pot on medium heat. Stir continuously as it heats. Once boiling it will froth slightly — reduce to medium-low. Cook stirring every 2 minutes for 12 minutes until the gram flour is fully cooked (no raw taste).

4. 4

   Add the spinach: Add the coarsely blended blanched spinach to the simmering kadhi. Stir well. The kadhi will turn green. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

5. 5

   Make the tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small pan until very hot. Add mustard seeds — wait to pop. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and dried red chilli. Stir 15 seconds.

6. 6

   Add ginger and red chilli powder: Add ginger paste — stir 30 seconds. Add red chilli powder — stir 10 seconds on low heat.

7. 7

   Pour tempering into kadhi: Pour the entire hot tempering into the simmering spinach kadhi. Stir well.

8. 8

   Simmer together: Cook on low heat for 3 more minutes.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust: The palak kadhi should be tangy from the yogurt, slightly bitter from the fenugreek seeds and well-spiced. Adjust salt if needed.

10. 10

    Serve: Serve hot with steamed red rice or regular rice.

11. 11

    Note: Palak Kadhi is the Chhattisgarhi household variation of the standard kadhi — the addition of spinach reflects the state's practice of adding locally available leafy greens to existing preparations. In rural Chhattisgarh, the wild greens of the forest (called bhaji in the local dialect) are used instead of cultivated spinach — these include colocasia leaves, amaranth greens and drumstick leaves. Each adds its own character to the kadhi.