Kulitha kadi & Kulitha Upkari

                                            Kulith or the Horsegram is very healthy legume. We konkanis prepare various dishes with this and Kadi is one among them. Kadi is thin soup extracted by boiling the horsegram and then seasoning it with garlic . This is very famous and a special dish for the Konkanis in Karnataka. Earlier this used to be cooked on wooden fire slowly to get a thick paste like which  would be stored for months together and then diluted to make kadi .But with changing times the wooden fire became rarity and the cooking technique too changed. The paste is now available in Mangalore- Udupi stores all over. This is how I prepare it at home .

kulitha kadi

Ingredients: for kadi:

• 1 cup horse gram (soaked overnight) 
• 2 green chillies 
• 2 red chiiles 
• 1 small onion chopped 
• 1/4 cup of mangalore cucumber(magge) 
• Salt to taste 
• 2 tsp oil 
• 8-10 garlic cloves crushed 

For Upkari:

• Horsegram kept reserved after extracting the water.
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tbsp coconut
• Salt to tatse
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Method:
KADI:

1. Pressure cook the soaked horsegram with plenty of water for 6-7 whistles.
2. When cool drain the water into a vessel and reserve the horsegram for making upkari.
3. Add chopped cucumber pieces, slit green chillies and onions to the horsegram liquor and boil it on low flame adding salt.
4. Once the cucumber pieces and onions are cooked switch off the flame.
5. Heat oil and add the crushed garlic and red chillies and fry till golden.
6. Pour this seasoning over the kadi and enjoy with steaming rice .

Upkari:-

1. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and red chillies.
2. Once they are done add the cooked Horsegram,salt ,chilli powder and coconut and sprinkle some water and close the lid.
3. Serve as a side dish.

Notes:

1. The horse gram I get here takes long time to cook.. adjust accordingly the cooking time. 
2. Horse gram tends to have  strong flavour and thats the reason the cucumber pieces and onions are added to balance the flavour.
3. If you like to have a bit thick kadi/saaru.., just grind a tbsp of cooked horse gram in a mixer to paste and add to the boiling kadi .