A classic, delicious dish of velvety smooth spiced yoghurt curry with pakoras (fritters) simmered in the curry making a richly satisfying comfort food.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time40mins
Total Time1hr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Pakistani
Servings: 6
Author: Hirra Pervaiz
Ingredients
For Kadhi
2CupsYogurt Sour preffered
1/2CupGram Flour (besan)chickpea flour
5 CupsWateror as required
4tbspGhee/Oil
1/2tspMustard Seeds (rai)
1/2tspCumin Seeds (zeera)
2Dried Red Chilies
5Curry Leaves (Kari Patta)
1mediumOnion, finely chopped
1tbspGarlic, minced
1tbspGinger, minced
1tspSalt, or to taste
1tspRed Chili powder
1/2tspTurmeric
For Pakora
1Onion, chopped
1/4cupCorriander, chopped
2clovesGarlic, grated
2Green Chillies, chopped
1/2tspCumin Seeds (zeera)
1tspRed Chilli powder
1tspSalt, or to taste
1CupGram Flour (Besan)
pinchBaking Soda
Water, as required
Oil for Frying
For tempering (Tadka)
2tbspGhee or Oil
1/2tspCumin Seeds (zeera)
1smallOnion, sliced
1tspKashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Instructions
For Punjabi Kadhi
In a blender add yogurt, gram flour and water. Blend until smooth.
Alternatively, you can whisk yogurt and gram flour in a bowl or using a hand blender. Add water and mix well until smooth. Keep aside.
In a larger thick bottomed cooking pot, add ghee/oil, once hot add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When it starts to crackle add the chopped onion.
Once the onion is soft and translucent, add ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears. Then add the spices, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric. Bhuno the masala by frequently stirring until mixed well.
Now, Lower the heat and the yoghurt-gram flour mix into the pot. Mix well.
Increase the heat to medium, bring the mixture to a boil while stirring continuously to prevent it from curdling.
Lower the heat, and let it simmer for 20-30 mins.
As the Kadhi simmers, it will thicken, and the colour deepens. If you feel the need, add more water, add ½ cup at a time.
While the kadhi simmers, make pakoras. The more the kadhi simmer, the better it tastes. Make sure to keep stirring in between and adjusting the water as needed.
For Pakora
In a bowl add gram flour, spices (cumin seeds, salt and red chilli powder) and grated garlic cloves. Add water as required to make a thick batter.
Now add the onion, chopped coriander, green chillies and a pinch of baking soda. Mix everything.
Heat oil in a wok (kadhai) on medium heat. Once hot add 1tbsp of hot oil to the of batter.
Mix the batter and using a spoon, add the batter to the oil.
Fry on medium heat. Cook until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Tempering (Tadka)
Just before serving, add the pakoras to the kadhi and bring the kadhi to a boil and simmer for 10 mins for the pakoras to soak the kadhi. While they soak make the Second tempering.
Add ghee or oil in a pan, once hot add the cumin seeds, allow these to splutter. Add the sliced onions and cook golden brown. Next, add the Kashmiri chilli powder. Cook for 1 min approx.
Add the tempering to the kadhi pakora and mix.
Serve Kadhi pakora warm with steamed basmati rice or roti.
Notes
Yoghurt: Kadhi is a tangy dish and gets its sourness from the yoghurt. Use sour yoghurt. If the yoghurt is not sour, make it sour by adding half a teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or tamarind paste.
Besan: Use good quality gram flour (besan). In a pinch, you could also use chickpea flour.
Cooking kadhi: Use a large bottomed pot for making the kadhi pakora recipe. The kadhi froths while cooking, thus can overflow and spill if you use a small pot.
Pakora texture: To make softer pakora, add baking soda and some hot oil to the pakora batter before frying. It will make the pakoras crispy and soft.
Frying Pakoras: Fry pakoras on medium heat. Add the pakoras to the curry just before serving or they will get soft and mushy.
Second Tempering: don't skip as this adds flavour and colour to the dish.
Kadhi thickens as it sits so adjust the consistency by adding water as required.
Vegan Kadhi Pakora: make it vegan by using vegan yoghurt and by replacing ghee with oil or vegan butter.