Comforting One Pot Kadhi
Flavourful Punjabi weeknight meal
Curry isn’t an Indian dish. In Indian cuisine, there is no single dish known by the name “curry.” Instead, the term “curry” in the West was coined by British colonists in an effort to simplify the diverse and rich variety of Indian food into one flavour profile. Curry powder emerged from this same generalization, attempting to create one single spice blend to mimic Indian flavours. In reality, Indian cuisine doesn’t rely on complicated spices or blends, and is crafted from easy to find pantry stapes. It’s the unique combination of ingredients and techniques that make Indian food authentically Indian.
Many Indian recipes are popular throughout the subcontinent, with regional variations that add distinct flavours and characteristics. As someone with Punjabi heritage, I share recipes from that tradition. Vegetarian Punjabi dishes typically fall into two distinct categories, those that have a gravy, which are perfect with rice, and those that are without, which pair well with roti.
Punjabi food has a plethora of vegetarian options, often more so than non-vegetarian options, making it an excellent example of “anything you can cook, I can cook vegan.” However, some dishes that are inherently dairy-based and not as easy to re-create in vegan versions. This is the case with the Punjabi dish known as kadhi (not to be confused with “curry”). Punjabi kadhi is a yoghurt-based gravy dish, typically containing vegetable pakoras. This version of vegan kadhi uses coconut milk to replace the yoghurt, and staying true to the way I grew up eating it, potatoes to replace the pakoras, making the dish far simpler to make on a weeknight. I recommend using a coconut milk with a milder flavour, like Cha’s brand.
This recipe is:
- Simple
- Weeknight meal
- One pot
- Comforting
- Flavourful
- Punjabi
If you love this recipe, try our Rajma Chawal next and read our blog post to learn more about choosing the best plant-based milk for your needs.
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Comforting One Pot Kadhi
Ingredients
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 medium onion diced (about ½ a cup)
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or minced (about 2 tsp)
- 1 in piece of ginger minced (about 2 tsp)
- 2 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes cayenne powder adjust to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 potato cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1 can coconut milk 400mL
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- 600 mL water
- 2 tsp crushed Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) optional
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped to garnish (optional)
Jeera Chawal (Rice)
- 1 cup basmati rice cooked
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp oil
Instructions
One-Pot Kadhi
- In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and chickpea flour. Set aside.
- In a pan, heat oil and add cumin and mustard seeds. Once the seeds start popping (about 30 seconds), add the onion, followed by the ginger and garlic.
- Sauté until the onions become soft (about 5 mins). Deglaze with water as needed.
- Add the salt, crushed chilli flakes, turmeric, and black pepper. Allow the spices to toast for about a minute.
- Add the potato and stir to coat with the spices, then cook for 5-7 mins. Adding water as needed to keep things moving.
- Add the coconut milk mixture and water.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook until potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add Kasuri methi if using, followed by lemon juice, and stir to combine.
- Adjust salt and chilli flakes to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro
Jeera Chawal (Rice)
- Add the rinsed rice, water, cumin seeds, salt, and oil to another pot and simmer until all the water has absorbed.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Cost Breakdown
| Ingredients | Quantity | Measure | Cost (CAD) |
| Neutral oil | 2 tsp | tsp | $0.10 |
| Cumin seeds | 1 tsp | tsp | $0.05 |
| Mustard seeds | 1 tsp | tsp | $0.05 |
| Onion | 1 medium | pcs (110g) | $0.50 |
| Garlic | 3 cloves | cloves (10g) | $0.15 |
| Ginger | 1 in piece | piece (10g) | $0.10 |
| Salt | 2 tsp | tsp | $0.02 |
| Crushed chili flakes | 1 tsp | tsp | $0.05 |
| Turmeric powder | 1 tsp | tsp | $0.05 |
| Black pepper | ½ tsp | tsp | $0.03 |
| Potato | 1 cup | cup (150g) | $0.50 |
| Coconut milk | 1 can (400 mL) | can (400 mL) | $1.50 |
| Chickpea flour | ¼ cup | cup (30g) | $0.30 |
| Water | 600 mL | mL | $0.00 |
| Kasuri methi (optional) | 2 tsp | tsp | $0.10 |
| Lemon juice | 2 tsp | tsp | $0.10 |
| Cilantro (optional) | ¼ cup | cup (4g) | $0.25 |
| Basmati rice | 1 cup | cup | $0.30 |
| Water | 2 | cups | $0.0 |
| Cumin seeds | 1 | tsp | $0.05 |
| Salt | 1/4 | tsp | $0.01 |
| Neutral oil | 1/4 | tsp | $0.02 |
| Total | $4.23 | ||
| Cost per serving (3 servings) | $1.41 |