Kadhi Recipe | Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi Recipe | Punjabi Kadhi Pakora with step by step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please do SUBSCRIBE to my channel ‘Asmallbite’. Kadhi is a thick gravy based on gram flour and contains deep-fried fritters called pakoras, to which Dahi (yogurt) is added to give it a bit of sour taste. It is often eaten with plain cooked rice, Phulka, Chapati, Jeera Rice, Peas Pulao, and even Aloo Paratha. It is very popular in the Northern and Western States of India,  in Gujarat & Maharashtra, they sometimes prepare this dish without any fritters. Also, fritters for Kadhi also have several varieties, they are prepared with onions, potato, spinach, etc. Continue reading to know more interesting facts about this Punjabi Kadhi Pakora Recipe.

What is Kadhi?

This is a dish made with yogurt and besan /gram flour typically.
It is made in different ways in different parts of the country, so there are many ways to make it. But the one thing common is the use of gram flour and curd.
This Punjabi version has deep-fried fritters (pakora) and also has more besan. Furthermore, this Punjabi version tastes just like the one from your favorite dhaba.
The Sindhi kadhi uses a lot of vegetables like okra, cluster beans, potatoes etc.
Yet, the Gujarati version is thinner, has less gram flour, no pakora, and is also a little sweet.

1. Besan / Gram flour

– Use, good quality gram flour for making the pakora and kadhi. The batter made with gram flour and curd is seasoned with spices and then cooked until it thickens and cooks completely.

2. Curd/Yoghurt

– Use full-fat sour curd made from whole milk to get a nice tangy taste. If the curd is not sour, then the kadhi will not be sour, but will still taste good.

3. How to avoid the kadhi from splitting?

– To prevent the kadhi from splitting, always use room temperature curd.

– Whisk the curd well and then add gram flour to it. This step also prevents kadhi from splitting.

4. Cooking Kadhi

– Start with more water as the kadhi has to simmer for a long time in order for it to develop flavors, become thick and creamy.

– Ensure to boil the kadhi for a long time to get rid of the gram flour smell.

5. For Pakora

-To simplify the process, just prepare it with gram flour and salt. But the addition of onions and spice powders make it more flavorful.

-Baking the pakora, To cut off the calories, you can bake the pakora instead of deep-frying them. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius until the pakora turns crisp and golden. For baking the pakora, add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to the batter and do not make the batter very moist but keep it a bit wet.

– Lastly, if you are planning to serve the kadhi later, you can add pakoras 5 minutes earlier and give it a boil.

6. Seasoning / Tadka

– Doing the tadka, at last, helps to retain the flavor for a long time.

-Use mustard oil if possible, as it lends a pungent sharp taste and aroma to the kadhi. If you do not have mustard oil, then use a neutral-flavored oil or ghee.

Check my other famous Punjabi Recipes like
1. Dum Aloo
2. Paneer Butter Masala
3. Rajma Masala
4. Mutter Paneer
5. Dal Makhani
6. Chole Bhature

Kadhi Pakora Recipe

Kadhi Recipe | Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Priya Santhamohan

Kadhi Recipe | Punjabi Kadhi Pakora is a thick gravy based on gram flour and contains deep-fried fritters called pakoras, to which Dahi (yogurt) is added to give it a bit of sour taste. It is often eaten with plain cooked rice, Phulka, Chapati, Jeera Rice, Peas Pulao, and even Aloo Paratha.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Gravy, Sidedish for Rice

Cuisine Punjabi, Indian

Servings 4 People

Calories 289 kcal

Equipment

• Stovetop
• Kadai / Pan

Ingredients

  

1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML

For Making Curd Curry / Slurry

• 1½ Cup Curd Link for Homemade Curd
• 3 Cups Water
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder Link of Homemade Garam masala powder
• 1 Generous Pinch Hing
• 6 tbsp Gram Flour
• Salt As Required

For Making Pakoras

• 1 Cup Gram Flour
• 1 Large Onion
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder Link of Homemade Garam masala powder
• ½ tsp Ajwain / Carom Seeds
• Salt As Required
• Water As Required

For Making Kadhi

• 1 tbsp Oil
• 5 to 6 Methi Seeds
• 1 tbsp Ginger
• 1 tbsp Garlic
• ¼ Cup Onion
• 2 Green Chilli

For Seasoning / Tadka

• 1 tbsp Ghee Link for Homemade Ghee
• ½ tsp Jeera Powder
• 2 Red Chilli
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1 Generous Pinch Hing

Instructions

 

For Making Onion Pakora

• Slice the onions thinly lengthwise. To a mixing bowl, add the gram flour, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, and required salt.
• Add the sliced onions, hing, and ajwain seeds. Mix everything well and set aside covered for 30 minutes. This method will allow the onions to release their water in the mixture. To make softer pakora, add a little more water.
• Then, accordingly sprinkle water as required (never pour the water) to make a thick batter. The batter should be thick and in dripping consistency. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and drop the pakora batter slowly in the oil.
• When the pakora is partly cooked, flip it over and fry the other side. Fry till the pakora turns crispy and golden. Remove the fried pakora and keep them in a kitchen tissue so that extra oil is absorbed.

For Making Curd Slurry or Curry

• Use sour curd for a nice tangy taste, if the curd is not sour, the kadhi will not be sour, but will still taste good. To the curd, pour 3 cups of water and whisk it well till smooth.
• Then, add the gram flour, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, hing, and salt. Whisk very well to make a smooth mixture without lumps and keep the curd slurry aside. Even, you can use a blender to make this mixture, but ensure not to overdo it,  as you will get butter instead of a smoothly blended curd.

For Making Kadhi

• Chop the onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli finely. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the methi seeds and sprinkle hing. Fry for a while, until fenugreek seeds change their color. Then, add the ginger, garlic, and stir, till a nice smell wafts.
• Add the onions, green chilli, and sauté for 3 minutes till it turns translucent. Now, pour the curd slurry and stir very well. Boil in medium flame and keep on stirring often so that the bottom does not get burnt. Time taken to cook kadhi will be around 15 minutes, ensure there is no raw smell of the gram flour.
• After the kadhi has come to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer for 5 more minutes and the kadhi will thicken. If the kadhi becomes too thick, then pour little hot water.
• Now add the fried onion pakora to the kadhi and mix gently. Cover with a lid and let the onion pakora be soaked in it for 8 to 10 minutes.

For Seasoning / Tempering

• Keep the red chilli, curry leaves, jeera powder, and chilli powder ready.
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan, then add the red chilli, curry leaves, jeera powder, chilli powder, and sprinkle hing. Pour the prepared tadka over the kadhi. Mix everything well.

  Serve this Kadhi Recipe with Jeera Rice.

Video

Notes

Tips for Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

For Pakoras

1. To simplify the process, just prepare it with gram flour and salt. But the addition of onions and spice powders make it more flavorful.

2. For soft pakoras, add baking soda and some yogurt, to the batter. 

3. To cut off the calories, you can bake the pakora instead of deep-frying them. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius until the pakora turns crisp and golden. For baking the pakora, add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to the batter and do not make the batter very moist but keep it a bit wet.

4. Lastly, if you are planning to serve the kadhi later, you can add pakoras 5 minutes earlier and give it a boil.

5. To prepare the Kadhi Recipe quickly, you can prepare the pakora a day before and refrigerate it.

For Curd Slurry 

1. Use full-fat sour curd made from whole milk to get a nice tangy taste. If the curd is not sour, then the kadhi will not be sour, but will still taste good. To make the curd sour, you could add ½  tsp of amchur powder (dry mango powder) or a bit of lemon juice.

2. To prevent the kadhi from splitting, always use room temperature curd.

3. Whisk the curd well and then add gram flour to it. This step also prevents kadhi from splitting.

For making kadhi

1. Firstly, use a large bottomed pan for making the kadhi as it froths while cooking.

2. Start with more water as the kadhi has to simmer for a long time in order for it to develop flavors, become thick and creamy.

3. Add a generous amount of ginger, garlic, and hing which lends a magical aroma to the Punjabi Kadhi Pakora. 

4. Ensure to boil the kadhi for a long time to get rid of the gram flour smell.

5. The kadhi thickens as it cools down. So while re-heating add little water and mix again.

For Seasoning / Tadka

1. Doing the tadka, at last, helps to retain the flavor for a long time.

2.Use mustard oil if possible, as it lends a pungent sharp taste and flavor to the kadhi. If you do not have mustard oil, then use a neutral oil like sunflower oil or ghee.

3. Don't miss adding curry leaves to get a wonderful aroma.

4. Use kashmiri red chili powder to get a beautiful color on top.

Keyword Kadhi Pakora, Kadhi Recipe, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora Recipe

Method for Kadhi Recipe

For Making Onion Pakora: Slice the onions thinly lengthwise. To a mixing bowl, add the gram flour, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, and required salt.

2. Add the sliced onions, hing, and ajwain seeds. Mix everything well and set aside covered for 30 minutes. This method will allow the onions to release their water in the mixture. To make softer pakora, add a little more water.

3. Then, accordingly sprinkle water as required (never pour the water) to make a thick batter. The batter should be thick and in dripping consistency. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and drop the pakora batter slowly in the oil.

4. When the pakora is partly cooked, flip it over and fry the other side. Fry till the pakora turns crispy and golden. Remove the fried pakora and keep them in a kitchen tissue so that extra oil is absorbed.

5. For Making Curd Slurry or Curry: Use sour curd for a nice tangy taste, if the curd is not sour, the kadhi will not be sour, but will still taste good. To the curd, pour 3 cups of water and whisk it well till smooth.

6. Then, add the gram flour, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, hing, and salt. Whisk very well to make a smooth mixture without lumps and keep the curd slurry aside. Even, you can use a blender to make this mixture, but ensure not to overdo it,  as you will get butter instead of a smoothly blended curd.
7. For Making Kadhi: chop the onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli finely. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the methi seeds and sprinkle hing. Fry for a while, until fenugreek seeds change their color. Then, add the ginger, garlic, and stir, till a nice smell wafts.

8. Add the onions, green chilli, and sauté for 3 minutes till it turns translucent. Now, pour the curd slurry and stir very well. Boil in medium flame and keep on stirring often so that the bottom does not get burnt. Time taken to cook kadhi will be around 15 minutes, ensure there is no raw smell of the gram flour.
After the kadhi has come to a boil, then lower the flame and simmer for 5 more minutes and the kadhi will thicken. If the kadhi becomes too thick, then pour little hot water.

9. Now add the fried onion pakora to the kadhi and mix gently. Cover with a lid and let the onion pakora be soaked in it for 8 to 10 minutes. For Seasoning / Tempering: Keep the red chilli, curry leaves, jeera powder, and chilli powder ready.

10.Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan, then add the red chilli, curry leaves, jeera powder, chilli powder, and sprinkle hing. Pour the prepared tadka over the kadhi. Mix everything well.

Serve this Punjabi Kadhi Pakora with Jeera Rice.

Punjabi Kadhi Recipe