Beat the heat with these healthy and hydrating curd curries.
Your body requires cooling, nourishing food to beat the scorching summer heat. While curd (dahi) is a household staple for preparing chaas, raita, and lassi, it also works deliciously in cooked dishes—especially gravies! Curd-based gravies are light on your stomach, loaded with probiotics, and offer a tangy twist as well that livens up your plate.
Let's explore some delicious and desi cooling gravies!
Let’s begin with the hero of all curd gravies—Punjabi or Gujarati-styled Kadhi. This tangy and spiced curd-and-besan-based recipe is a staple in many Indian homes. Slightly sour Kadhi is light and easy to digest. Kadhi combines well with rice. To make it more tasty, add some pakoras. Otherwise, you can keep it plain with a tadka of curry leaves, mustard seeds, and hing.
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This special dish from Tamil Nadu specializes in summer comfort. Mor Kuzhambu is a mildly spiced curd curry, generally cooked with vegetables like ash gourd (poosanikai) or okra. This soothing yet flavourful curry pairs perfectly with hot rice and papad. You can add steamed koftas or soaked vadas to enhance the taste.
Confused what to prepare on this hot day quickly? Make Dahi Wale Aloo! This special North Indian curd-based gravy features boiled potatoes simmered in a lightly spiced yogurt sauce. Prepared without heavy cream or tomato base, taste the magic of humble dahi and spices, ideal with jeera rice and chapatis. Don't forget to use fresh curd and keep the flame low while cooking.
Do you think eggplant is boring? Try Dahi Baingan and you will surely change your opinion! This unique gravy involves shallow-fried eggplants dipped in a spiced yogurt sauce, usually tempered with mustard seeds and fennel. This sweet, sour, and smoky dish is a great vegetarian alternative to heavier gravies, which combines perfectly with steamed rice, pulao, or paratha.
Bottle gourd or lauki often gets a bad reputation, but try this Lauki Dahi Curry. The soft texture of lauki paired with a slightly tangy yogurt sauce makes it a super cooling and light dish. Loaded with water, this is a perfect hydration combo which can also help in summer detoxification. To get a boost of protein, add a handful of moong dal.
Use fresh curd: Do not use sour curd unless the dish demands it (like kadhi). The fresh curd provides the perfect texture and taste.
Cook on low heat: Curd usually split at high temperatures. So, keep the temperature low and stir continuously.
Balance spices: The perfect balance of spices can make a lot of difference. Don't use too much red chili or garam masala as it kills the cooling effect. Always stick to jeera, curry leaves, ginger, and green chilies for these curd recipes.
Soothing, tasty, and easy curd-based gravies are a gift during summers. Pick a recipe, serve it with rice or roti. Feel the magic!
