Punjabi Kadi Pakoda | Kadhi Pakora
A quintessential comfort food Punjabi Kadi Pakoda | Kadhi Pakora served with Steamed rice is a soul satisfying Indian meal. This kadhi recipe is authentic, easy to make and so very delicious.
Servings 5
Ingredients
To make kadhi
- 1.5 cup (375 grams) Sour curd
- 8 tablespoons (40 grams) Besan/gram flour
- 3 cups or add as required water
- 1/2 tsp methi seeds
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 tsp ginger green chillies minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
For Onion Pakora
- 2 thinly sliced onions or 2 medium to large onions (150 grams)
- 1 cup besan gram flour
- 1 green chili minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- To taste salt
- 2 tsp Fresh coriander leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup water or add as required
- Oil for frying pakoda
For tadka/tempering
- 1 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 Garlic clove chopped
- 5-7 curry leaves
- 1 Whole red chilli
- 1 pinch Asafoetida
- Handful of coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
To make kadhi
- Whisk besan/gram flour and curd in a large bowl until it is smooth and lump-free.
- Add around 2 cups of water and whisk well. If you still see some lumps use hand blender to blend well.
- Now in a thick bottom vessel heat oil, add methi seeds. Saute for few seconds or until they get a slight golden color.
- Next, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. When it start crackle, add minced green chili-ginger. Saute for a while and next add minced garlic.
- On a low flame keep sauteing till the raw aroma of ginger, chilli and garlic goes away.
- Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chili powder. Saute well.
- Now add sliced onion with pinch of salt. When the onions turn translucent and acquire pink color, add the curd-besan mixture to this. Keep stirring it constantly on a low heat.
- Make sure to stir the kadhi continuously until it comes to the first boil.
- You can then lower the heat after that and and let it cook. You don’t need to stir it all the time after that.
- After a while add salt and let it boil for 20-25 minutes.
- In between if you feel the kadhi is turning thick, add hot water.
- After 25 minutes, kadhi would have considerably thickened and completely cooked.
- You can add required amount of hot water here if kadhi looks too thick to you.
To make Pakoda
- Meanwhile in another bowl whisk besan and add all the ingredients listed.
- Mix everything well and set aside covered for 15 minutes. The batter should be of thick consistency as onion and coriander leaves will leave water.
- Next, heat oil on medium heat for deep frying pakoda. Then with a help of a spoon carefully drop the batter in the oil to make small roundels.
- After a while turn the pakoda upside down and cook further on medium heat.
- When pakoda turns crisp and golden in color, place them on a kitchen paper towel so that extra oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining pakora in batches this way.
- After that, add these pakoda directly to the prepared kadhi and stir gently. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
For tadka/tempering
- Heat ghee in a small tadka pan. Once heated add ghee. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves, let it splutter.
- Add chopped garlic and saute till it turns pink.
- Next add whole red chillies and saute for a while.
- In the last add pinch of asafoetida/hing and red chili powder.
- Switch off the flame and pour this on kadi pakora
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Steamed rice. You can serve this kadhi with roti or paratha.