# Twenty Years, One Recipe: The Chhattisgarhi Kadhi Bhajiya That Has Never Lost Its Magic

> Tamin Bai Patel of Balod, Chhattisgarh, has been preparing her mother's traditional Kadhi Bhajiya recipe for 20 years without changing a single step. Made with besan fritters, yogurt, and home spices, this dish is a summer staple across the state.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Food · **Published:** 2026-06-21 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/food/20-sala-se-eka-hi-resipi-eka-hi-jadu-balod-ki-tamin-bai-ki-chhattisgarhi-karhi-bhajiya-2113 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Chhattisgarhi recipe, Kadhi Bhajiya, Balod, traditional dish, Tamin Bai Patel, summer recipe, besan fritters, Chhattisgarhi food

## A Dish That Belongs to Every Kitchen in Chhattisgarh
Some recipes outlast food trends, restaurant menus, and even generations. Chhattisgarhi Kadhi Bhajiya is one of them. Loved from small villages to busy city households, this traditional preparation has never needed reinvention. While its demand holds steady throughout the year, summer is when it truly comes into its own, with people across Chhattisgarh reaching for it more than any other dish in the season.

## A Recipe Passed Down From Mother to Daughter
Tamin Bai Patel, who lives in Balod, has been making this dish for 20 years. She told TrendKia that she first learned the recipe from her mother and has followed the same method ever since, without altering a single ingredient or step. She credits traditional spices and a time-tested technique as the reason the dish tastes the way it does. The preparation is also considered gentle on digestion, which adds to its appeal during the hot months when demand for it rises sharply across the state.

## The Process Begins With the Bhajiya
The first step is making bhajiya from besan (chickpea flour). These small fritters are prepared separately and kept aside, ready to be folded into the gravy later. They are what define the dish and give it both its name and its texture.

## The Tadka Is Where the Flavour Is Built
Oil is heated in a kadhai, and cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves (meetha neem patta) are added to form the tadka. According to Tamin Bai, this tempering is the backbone of the dish's distinctive taste. Ground tomato, garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, and coriander powder are then stirred in and cooked thoroughly until the masala is fully ready and fragrant.

## Yogurt Goes In, Then the Bhajiya
Once the spice base is cooked, yogurt (dahi) is mixed in and the whole thing is brought to a boil. The pre-made bhajiya are then added into the boiling gravy, and the dish is left to simmer on low heat for around 10 minutes. At that point, the Chhattisgarhi Kadhi Bhajiya is ready to serve.

## Best With Rice, Though Roti Works Too
Tamin Bai says the dish can be paired with roti, but her preference is rice, and most people in Chhattisgarh would agree. Served over steamed rice, it becomes a deeply satisfying and complete meal. At a time when food trends come and go, this traditional recipe continues to be a living link to the culinary heritage of Chhattisgarh, kept alive one home kitchen at a time.

## What this means for you
- **Across India:** This recipe can be made at home anywhere in the country using simple, widely available ingredients like besan, yogurt, and everyday spices.
- **In Chhattisgarh:** For residents of the state, preparing this dish at home is a direct way to stay connected to a rich, generations-old food tradition that is still being kept alive in homes like Tamin Bai's.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What is Chhattisgarhi Kadhi Bhajiya?
It is a traditional dish from Chhattisgarh in which besan fritters (bhajiya) are simmered in a yogurt and spice-based gravy called kadhi.

### 2. How long has Tamin Bai Patel been making this recipe?
Tamin Bai Patel has been preparing this dish for 20 years.

### 3. Where did she learn this recipe?
She learned the recipe from her mother and has followed the same method ever since without changing anything.

### 4. What ingredients go into the tadka for this dish?
The tadka is made with cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves (meetha neem patta).

### 5. What spices are used in the masala?
Ground tomato, garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, and coriander powder are used to build the spice base.

### 6. How long does the dish cook after the bhajiya are added?
After the bhajiya are added, the dish simmers on low heat for around 10 minutes.

### 7. What is the best way to serve Kadhi Bhajiya?
According to Tamin Bai, it can be eaten with roti but tastes even better when served with rice.

### 8. In which season is this dish most popular?
Demand for this dish rises significantly during the summer months in Chhattisgarh.

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