Sindhi Kadhi

Ingredients

• 75g gram flour (besan), sieved
• 5 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1.2 litres hot water
• 3 tbsp tamarind pulp
• 2 tsp salt
• 100g cluster beans or green beans, topped and tailed
• 1 small potato, cut into chunks
• 8 okra, topped and slit down one side
• 1 carrot, cut into batons
• 1 drumstick, cut into 6cm lengths (optional)
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Before you cook

• Prepare all the vegetables and keep them in separate piles, since they go into the pot at different times.
• Slit the okra lengthways down one side without cutting all the way through.
• Soak the tamarind in 100ml warm water and squeeze out the pulp.
• Sieve the gram flour so it will not lump when it hits the water.

Steps

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat and fry the okra for 4 minutes until the sliminess is gone, then lift it out.
2. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
3. Add the cumin and fenugreek seeds and fry for 20 seconds, until the fenugreek darkens a shade.
4. Add the asafoetida, curry leaves, ginger paste and slit green chillies and fry for 1 minute.
5. Sprinkle in the gram flour and stir it constantly over low heat for 8 minutes, until it turns nut brown and smells like toasted biscuits.
6. Watch it closely at this stage, because a burnt roast is bitter and cannot be rescued.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until they soften into the flour.
8. Stir in the turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder.
9. Pour in the hot water in a slow stream, whisking hard so no lumps form.
10. Add the tamarind pulp and salt and bring the kadhi to a simmer.
11. Add the potato, carrot and beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
12. Add the drumstick and the fried okra and simmer for another 8 minutes, until everything is tender and the kadhi has thickened to a pourable soup.
13. Taste and add more tamarind if it is not sour enough, because it should be assertively tangy.
14. Scatter with coriander and serve poured over plain steamed rice, with fried potato slices on the side.