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Dahi tikhari
Yogurt with garlic chilli tempering
Dahi tikhari: Kathiawadi thick yogurt with a sizzling garlic, red chilli and cumin tempering
Dahi tikhari is a fiery side from the farmhouses and highway dhabas of Kathiawad in Gujarat, where it is scooped up with thick bajra rotla, raw onion and jaggery at supper. Thick yogurt is seasoned with salt, then hot oil with crushed garlic, red chilli and cumin is poured over so it sizzles and streaks the bowl red. It takes ten minutes and cools down a spicy meal while adding its own heat. The common mistake is letting the garlic go dark brown, which makes the whole bowl bitter. Chef's tip: hang the yogurt in a sieve for a few minutes while you prepare the tempering; thicker yogurt holds the oil in pools instead of splitting.
- Total time
- 8 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz thick plain yogurtfull fat
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
For the tikhari tempering
- 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cloves garliccrushed to a coarse paste
- 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp hot red chilli powder
- 6 curry leaves (optional)
To serve
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Set 14 oz thick plain yogurt in a sieve over a bowl for 5 minutes to drain off loose whey, then whisk it smooth with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar and spread it in a shallow bowl.
5 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle for 10 seconds, then add 6 cloves garlic and 6 curry leaves. Stir until the garlic is pale gold and smells sweet, about 1 minute. Pull it off the heat before it browns.
1 minStep 3: Off the heat, stir in 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ½ tsp hot red chilli powder; they will foam and turn the oil deep red in a few seconds.
Step 4: Pour the hot tempering over the yogurt at once, scatter with 1 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with bajra rotla, rotli or khichdi.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dahi tikhari take?
- About 8 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of thick plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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