Kathiyawadi Baingan Recipe: Famous Gujarati Dish with Spicy Sauce

If you want to try something more original and authentic than regular dal-rice or khichdi, the Gujarati Khato recipe is perfect. This dish is made from yogurt, fried rice, and moong lentils.

During the holy month of Sawan, people often abstain from eating onion and garlic and prefer light food. In such cases, the problem arises that daily monotonous eating becomes boring. Although khichdi and kadhi are prepared in every home, here is a dish from Gujarat that resembles khichdi in its lightness but has the same delicious taste as kadhi.

If you are striving to cook something light, healthy, and unusual, be sure to try Gujarati Khato. This traditional dish from Gujarat is made using fried rice, moong lentils, whole green moong, and yogurt. Its taste is slightly sour, spicy, and very soothing. The distinguishing feature is that it can be made with a small amount of ingredients, and it is good for digestion.

If you do not have pickle powder (achar masala), you can sprinkle finely ground red pepper on top, which will also enhance the flavor.

Simple Way to Prepare Gujarati Khato

First, thoroughly wash the rice, yellow moong lentils, and whole green moong. Then, fry them in a pot over medium heat without oil until all moisture evaporates and they acquire a light golden color. After this, let them cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled, lightly grind it in a blender to obtain a coarse powder; it is important that the powder is not too fine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt with water to obtain a liquid buttermilk. Finely chop the green chili, ginger, and garlic to make a paste.

Heat peanut oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds, rai, fennel, whole red chilies, and curry leaves to create an aromatic tempering. Then stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and sauté for about a minute. After that, add til seeds and turmeric and mix.

Add about half a cup of the prepared mixture and sauté, stirring, for one to two minutes. Then, while constantly stirring, gradually pour in the prepared buttermilk to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Finally, add salt to taste and mix well once more.

How to Serve

Garnish the finished Gujarati Khato with a small amount of pickle powder, a few drops of peanut oil, and finely chopped fresh coriander. If you do not have pickle powder, you can use finely ground red pepper. Serve hot and enjoy the traditional taste of Gujarat.