Sindhi Kadhi (Vegetable medley simmered in tangy lentils curry)

I just came back from a trip to India. I visited my family after four years for a short vacation and to attend my brother’s wedding. Besides being excited to meet my family after such a long time, on my flight from London to New Delhi, I could not stop thinking about this flavorful dish my grandmother used to make when I was little. It used to be a family feast with my cousins, aunts and uncles all dining together to enjoy this Sindhi Kadhi with plain rice and some fried potatoes. I decided to learn it from my grandmother and together she and I spent some time to make it one more time for the family.

1/2 lb Yellow Pigeon Peas (Arhar or Toor daal)

30 gm (or more) Tamarind soaked in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes

Curry leaves (leaves from 3-4 stems or 20-25 leaves)

Mint leaves (half bunch/20-25 leaves)

4-5 tbsp cooking oil (Canola/vegetable)

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 lb Radish, sliced

1/2 lb Green Beans

1/2 lb Okra (Bhindi)

1/2 lb Tomatoes

2-3 medium Potatoes

salt to taste

Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp or more to taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

6 cups water to boil the Pigeon peas

2-4 green chillies

1. Combine the water, lentils (Yellow pigeon peas), turmeric, and salt in a large pot and cook over high heat. Bring the lentils to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the lentils are tender and water and lentils are nicely blended together, about 20-30 minutes. Alternately, you can pressure cook the same (5 minutes!).

2. Strain the boiled lentils using a fine strainer to prepare a thin smooth soup.
3. Strain the soaked tamarind using the same strainer to extract the pulp. Alternately you can use Tamarind paste as well.

4. Heat oil in a large stock pot and add mustard and fenugreek seeds. Cook for few seconds, after the seeds splutter add radish slices and green beans. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder and cook for few minutes until tomatoes are nicely cooked. Add the strained lentils and add more water if needed (This strained lentil mixture should not be thick). Add curry and mint leaves and sliced green chillies. Bring the mixture to boil and add the coarsely chopped potatoes. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or so on medium heat till the potatoes are almost boiled.

6. Add tamarind pulp and okra and let it simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes or so until the potatoes and okra are fully done and flavors seem to be nicely blended ( You can tell by a fragrant minty aroma). Adjust water according to preference although my entire family loves it when it is clear soup like consistency (although with chunky vegetables).

Serve with rice. My father does not forget to suggest that to savor the flavors, take less rice and more kadhi

It was a memorable trip and I cherish the time I spent with my grandmother bonding over this recipe in her kitchen.