Karhi, a Yogurt Sauce

Name: Karhi, a Yogurt Sauce
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 3/4 cup chickpea flour, sifted; 2 cups plain yogurt, preferably the acidophilus yogurt found in health-food stores; 3 tablespoons olive or canola oil; 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds; 1 1/2 teaspoons whole brown or yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds; 3 dried hot red chilies; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; About 15 fresh curry leaves or 8 chopped fresh basil leaves; 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

December 9, 2011

Eating a karhi is really a way of eating heated yogurt. Because yogurt would curdle into unappetizing blobs if it were to be just heated up, it is stabilized with a flour first. In India, where there are many vegetarians who know that a bean, a grain, and a milk product can make for a balanced meal, it is chickpea flour that is used. Known variously as garbanzo flour, gram flour, chickpea flour, farine de pois chiches, and besan, it is very nutritious as well as full of a nutty flavor. Karhis are cooked over much of India with many interesting regional variations. This yogurt sauce, spicily seasoned and quite scrumptious, is either poured over rice or put into individual bowls and eaten with whole-grain flatbreads. Meats and vegetables are often served on the side.

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