Vegan Besan Kadhi

Besan Kadhi is a popular north Indian dish and a good vegan option is to make it without yogurt. This dish of kadhi with fried Besan flour pakoras in a beautiful seasoned pool of  gravy with various spices, when served along with steamed rice, makes for a perfect summer meal.

Ingredients

1. Besan- 250g
2. Tamarind- 50g (boiled and pulp separated)
3. Onion- 3 (1 cut long and 2 cut finely)
4. Tomatoes- 2
5. Ginger- 1 small
6. Garlic-5-6 cloves
7. Clove- 2-3
8. Bay Leaves- 1
9. Whole red chillies- 1
10. Black pepper (whole)- 8-10
11. Cinnamon- ½ inch
12. Cumin- ½ tsp
13. Turmeric- 1/4th spoon
14. Coriander seeds OR mustard seeds-
15. Oil- 8 tbs (for temper)
16. And to fry

Procedure

1. Boil the tamarind and separate its pulp. Mash and mix the pulp in 1kg water.
2. Put 3 tbs besan in the tamarind mix.
3. Grind ginger and garlic into a paste and add it to the mix. Also add turmeric, red chilly powder and salt.

For the temper/ Tadka

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and add to it cumin, coriander seeds, clove, bay leaves, whole red chilly, black pepper and cinnamon.
2. Add one long cut onion, to the oil and allow it to roast.
3. Once the onion browns, add chopped tomatoes. Let the tomatoes putrefy.
4. Pour the tamarind-besan mix into the temper and heat.
5. Give it one boil and lower he flame till required consistency is attained

Procedure to Make Pakoras

1. Mix besan and water for watery consistency (not too thin, enough for a stream of liquid besan to pour off a spoon).
2. Add to the mix salt, red chilli and cumin.
3. Add to it thinly chopped onions.
4. Prepare pakora balls from the batter by puttig them into oil and fry them in heated oil.
5. Mix the pakora in the besan curry prepared above, and the kadi is prepared!