Spinach in Kadhi, a Savory Yogurt-based Sauce, is deliciously tart, spicy, and slightly sweet. Thick and creamy, it tastes just as good with steaming hot white rice as with hot chapatis. A Chapati (pronounced Chup-aa-theey), for those who might not be familiar with them, resembles a whole wheat tortilla. This Kadhi has long been one of my favorite foods; sometimes, I don’t even want any rice or chapati, I just want to have a large bowl of this as a soul-satisfying soup!
The cooked peanuts added to the Kadhi give it a totally different character. Not only do peanuts boost the protein content of the Kadhi, it adds an inimitable taste and texture. To a peanut-lover like me, that just can’t be beat! This dish seems to have everything the human body needs and yes, even craves. Vegetables, nuts, dairy, legumes: it all there! how amazing is that?!
I am ever-fascinated by human creativity. How the food, crafts, art, etc., of different locales typically incorporate whatever is found locally. Take, for instance. the peanuts found in many Maharashtrian dishes. Is it really surprising? Perhaps not, considering that Maharashtra is a major peanut-producing state! The soil and climate of Maharashtra seems to be perfect for growing peanuts. So what do the locals do? Put peanuts in everything!
This dish poses a bit of a challenge: spinach cooks fast, while peanuts usually take much longer. A simple solution? Soak the peanuts before pressure cooking: they cook much faster! Spinach in Kadhi, along with peanuts, is a delightful way to make the savory, yogurt-based sauce that is so popular in Maharashtra.
Spinach Kadhi (Yogurt Sauce with Spinach)
Equipment
- pressure cooker preferred, (but not essential) for cooking spinach and peanuts. It may also be cooked in the microwave, or with a little water in a saucepan, directly on the stove-top. Detailed directions in Recipe Notes
Ingredients
- 100 g fresh spinach – washed, chopped roughly – about 3 cups frozen OK if fresh is not available – about 1/2 cup chopped froze, thawed
- 1/4 cup raw peanuts – soaked in 2 tbsp water soaking 10-15 min helps it to cook faster; peanuts with skin preferred; blanched / roasted and unsalted OK too
- 1/2 cup yogurt – plain Whole milk preferred for best flavor; Low-fat is OK too; flavor from non-fat is not great, but OK if need be
- 1/4 cup Besan (chick pea flour) also called garbanzo bean flour, made from Channa dal (Bengal gram)
- 2 cups water adjust as per sauce-thickness preferred
- 3/4 tsp salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1.5 tsp sugar
Tadka
- 1 tsp oil (or ghee) peanut oil or other mild oil; avoid using Olive oil for Tadka
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds black
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 whole green chillies (Serrano) any hot green chilli – adjust amount as per preferred spiciness level
- 1/8 tsp Asoefetida (Hing) powdered preferred
- 1/8 tsp turmeric (optional) changes the color to a lemon-yellow hue. Featured image for recipe is made without turmeric
Instructions
- Soak the peanuts in about 2 tbsp water
- Prepare the pressure cooker for cooking the spinach and peanuts. Place a rack in the cooker and add water to just cover the rack. Loosely cover with the lid – do not lock the lid into place! Set to heat on low, so that the cooker is steaming hot in a few min, for placing the container with the chopped spinach and soaked peanuts.(Microwave and Stove-top directions in Recipe Notes)
- Wash, and chop the spinach.
- Place in the pressure cooker insert container. Pressure cook at full pressure for 5 min. Allow pressure to release normally.
Meanwhile : Make the Kadhi
- Beat the yogurt with a whisk. Add Besan and whisk till smooth.
- Add salt and sugar to the yogurt-besan mixture and mix well.
- Make the Tadka: Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan (3-4 quart size (about 3-4 liter); heat the oil for 1-2 min on med heat before you add the mustard seeds- keep a lid handy to catch the immediate splatter, because they will pop as soon as they are added. Remove from heat, briefly, wait until the popping stops, then add the cumin seeds and green chilli.
- Return to the stove top, and add the Asoefetida (hing); after it sizzles, about 10 seconds, add the yogurt-besan batter and stir.
- Cook on med-hi, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and burning at the bottom, until the kadhi (sauce) thickens and starts to boil- about 4-5 min
- Take out the cooked spinach from the pressure cooker – the pressure should be released by now.
- Lower the heat and add the cooked spinach and peanuts. Taste-test and adjust salt, sugar, as per preference. Add hot water if it looks too thick. Stir and simmer 5-7 min, uncovered, to allow flavors to blend.
- Serve hot, with plain rice, Roti, Naan, Pita, tortillas, etc..
- Or, perhaps you might want to have it just by itself, like a creamy soup.
- Enjoy!
Never heard of the combination , will be trying it, such a well written recipie, thanks
It’s a popular Maharashtrian item
Glad you like my write-up
Trying this tonight!! ????
Yay! Need pictureS
This was so fun and easy to make!! I didn’t think I would be able to make it taste so good the first time. Gives me hope that I might just be able to get good at cooking Indian someday. I also can’t believe it’s yogurt-based. Ella ate two full servings ??? Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so happy to hear that!!
Oooh! This looks a lot like the kale soup we like in our house! I can’t wait to try this out! I love using yogurt as a cream base for a sauce. I love the tang and extra protein it brings to where ever you use it!
Thickening with chick pea flour adds even more protein! And flavor too!!
Looks interesting! I didn’t know yogurt could be used as a soup base.
Yep! It is used in several Indian recipes, some are actually soups, others can be had as soup instead of as a side-dish. Planning on posting some of these recipes soon!
I love the description and pictures, makes it so easy to follow. Can’t wait to try this, looks delicious!
Glad you like the pictures It really is easy – minimal cutting chopping too! Jennifer made it and her 1-year old princess ate 2 servings! She sent me a picture!! Read her comment above!
Delicious ?
Love it
Me too! So mild and tangy and just plain yummy !
This looks good, and I love the pictures!
Ghee is next to impossible to find in this here little Mexican town in the middle of nowhere, could I just make some by melting butter, allowing a few hours for water to separate and decant; or is there another difference which I may not be aware of?
Ok… so it looks like a post on how to make Ghee is needed! I will do so soon. Meanwhile, I can give you a quick description: Buy unsalted Butter – try it with just 1 stick (1/4 lb) for your first trial. Melt the butter in a small heavy bottom pot (1 quart size is fine) on med-hi heat. Keep stirring gently, more or less continuously, with small breaks – it will take about 10 min or so to make Ghee. You will notice the water separate from the fat, and some solids will form en emulsion-type froth on the top as the mixture boils. As you continue to heat and stir, the water starts to evaporate and the mixture starts looking clearer – this tells you you’re getting close to the end. At this point you need to be very alert and decrease the heat, or you will very quickly get burnt Ghee. You can stop stirring continuously, but keep watch – don’t move away! The milk solids will look granular and will settle to the bottom. Scrape them away from sticking to the bottom when you stir. Watch for browning of these cream colored solid grains . As soon as they start turning light golden brown, turn the heat off and physically move the pot away from the hot grid of the burner – your Ghee is ready!
The solids will continue to brown a little more because the temperature of the ghee is very high. When the Ghee cools to about room temp, decant the clear liquid on top to a wide mouth glass jar. Try to leave the brown solids behind – if a few do get transferred, no worries.
What to do with the Ghee left with the brown solids? Eat it! It is delicious mixed with a bit of sugar – you can eat a spoonful of this sugary Ghee just by itself -or you can put it on a warm tortilla or bread. Without the sugar, you can put it on hot rice, it tastes great! You can also mix it into beans – any kind.
My brother and I used to fight over who got to eat this part whenever my Mom made Ghee. We called it Tu-paa-chee Bay-ree : Toop is Ghee in Marathi, and Bay-ree is the brown solids stuck on the bottom of the pan.
Enjoy you first Ghee-making experiment! Best part… the expected product is delicious…
From one chemist to another 🙂