5 mistakes to avoid while making kadhi at home
Kadhi Chawal, a beloved North Indian dish, can be tricky to perfect. Common mistakes like improper onion-tomato sautéing, incorrect spice timing, and unbalanced water levels can ruin its flavor. Skipping the essential tempering with spices like cumin and mustard seeds also diminishes the taste.
Kadhi Chawal is one of the most loved and popular foods of Indian cuisine. Its delicious flavor rules our daily diet. It is a famous dish, particularly in North India's Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.
Kadhi is a tangy and flavorful curry made with yogurt and gram flour and simmered with spices. A common version includes tempered mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Occasionally, a pakora (fried besan dumpling) is also added to make it feel more indulgent. It is usually served with rice. You can also add papad to give it an extra crunchy taste. But cooking kadhi is not an easy task. A little bit of extra salt can end up ruining it.
But don't worry—here are some common mistakes to keep in mind to avoid ruining your kadhi.
Forgetting Onion-Tomato Sautéing
The first step to not ruining your kadhi is not forgetting to do the onion-tomato sautéing properly. Kadhi needs its oil to be separated from the masala. This helps to deepen its flavor and remove the raw taste. It is advisable to cook onions until they become golden brown in colour and sauté tomatoes until they break down and release oil.
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Adding Spices Too Early or Late
It is one of the most common mistakes in any Indian dish. Putting spices at the start of kadhi can burn them, and adding them at the end can leave them raw. Putting the spices in at the right time helps them release their flavor when briefly fried in oil.
Using Too Much Water
One of the most crucial and important steps to make a perfect kadhi is to keep the water level right. High or low water levels in Kadhi can reduce its taste and flavor.
The correct water level makes the kadhi thick, rich, and flavorful, and helps it cling to the main ingredients.
Not Tempering Whole Spices
Skipping tempering, also known as tadka, with spices like cumin, mustard seeds, and oil can reduce your kadhi's flavor and taste. Tempering it in whole spices infused with hot oil builds a strong flavor base for the kadhi.
Ignoring Balance
Kadhi tastes flat when it is only spicy or salty. To have a good taste, it needs something tangy such as lemon or tamarind, or something sweet like jaggery or onion paste. Toppings such as coriander and kasuri methi also help to finish your Kadhi with layers of flavor.
All Images Courtesy: istock
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