Name: Dr. Belani’s Pigeon Pea Broth with Seasonal Vegetables (Sindhi Kadhi)
Yield: Makes 3 cups
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons chickpea flour; 2 medium-size carrots, peeled, ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise; 8 to 10 pieces frozen “drumsticks” (each 3 to 4 inches long; no need to thaw; see box); or 8 to 10 asparagus spears, cut into 3- to 4-inch lengths; 2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed, cut in half lengthwise (do not remove the seeds); 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems for garnishing; 1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans (no need to thaw); 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; ½ teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper); 4 pieces (each roughly 2 inches long and 1 inch wide) dried black kokum (see Tips); ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 medium-size tomato; 1 tablespoon shredded fresh ginger; 3 tablespoons Ghee or canola oil; 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds; 1 cup oily or unoily skinned split yellow pigeon peas (toovar dal), picked over for stones; 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 10 to 12 medium-size to large fresh curry leaves; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 3½ cups boiling water

Preparation info

Makes
3 cups

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

It’s rare to see Indian men—especially from my generation and older, and especially back in India—take on an active role in the kitchen, particularly if they are married or live with their mother (yes, I know I will get called on this by many who may disagree). However, there are exceptions. My guests at a recent potluck included Dr. Kiran Belani (a beautiful infectious-disease specialist of slender build and lush white hair) and her husband, the equally charming, soft-spok