Kala Chana Kadhi with spinach (Chick pea and yogurt soup with spinach)

Cooking for one can be a bit tedious and boring so I am always looking for easy to cook dishes.  In the past, my husband gave me company in the kitchen whilst I cooked.  Now I try listening to music or watching something on my ipad but still never like being on my own in the kitchen.  But saying all that is fine, what does one do when hunger strikes.  In my case, I just looked at what was in the fridge.  I could see some yogurt and spinach going out of date and decided to make some kadhi.   I seem to remember that as my parents and in laws got older, they loved eating khichedi and kadhi which is a very nutricious as well as quick  dish to make.  Makes me wonder if I too am getting old – making these dishes now?   To make the kadhi a bit more filling, I added a can of brown chickpeas to it and served it with rice . It actually turned out quite tasty and I had the chana with rice and the leftovers got eaten with French Bread.  This is quick to make and really warm in the winter.

Ingredients

• 250 gms plain yogurt (vegans can use plain soya yogurt)
• i heaped tbp chick pea flour (besan)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 3-4 cloves of garlic blended using a garlic press
• 2 tsp. blended ginger
• 3-4 sliced green chilies (use less if you don’t like hot food)
• 2 tbp. sunflower oil
• 1tsp jeera
• 1 dried red chili
• 1 small piece of cinnamon and 2 cloves (optional)
• 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice ( to use if the yoghurt isn’t sour or if you are using vegan yogurt)
• One cup of  finely chopped fresh spinach
• One tin of kala chana ( 400 gms)

Method:

1. Drain the water from the kala chana tin and wash them with cold water.

2.  Heat 2 tbls of oil and add in the jeera, red chili, cinnamon and cloves.

3.  Once they stop popping add in the drained chana.  Add in the salt, turmeric, jaggery, chilies, garlic and mix well.  Add half a cup of water and allow this to simmer while you prepare the yogurt mixture.

.

4.  In a Mixing bowl – add the yogurt with two cups of water.   Add the chick pea flour to the yogurt and water and whisk it until its blended well.  Add the chopped spinach to the yogurt mixture  now  called kadhi.

5.  Add this kadhi to the chick peas and keep stirring to stop the yogurt from separating.  It will soon thicken and be easy to stir.  Taste and season as necessary.  I like mine to be tangy so usually add some lemon juice to the curry.

.

6.  Serve this hot with rice or any bread.

• For making a chick pea curry – follow this recipe
• For making a kadhi in the instant pot follow this recipe:

If  you have a hunger for Authentic Vegetarian Food then subscribe to my blog and receive delectable recipes and new Innovative foodie updates! Hungry for more Vegetarian Tips ? LIKE us on facebook,  Follow us on Twitter,  Pinterest and Instagram.  All the recipes are with step by step instructions and photographs and all of them have been tried, tested, easy to cook and delicious.

If you are interested in one to one or group cookery lessons, or any corporate team building events  – email me on givemesomespice@gmail.com for more information.