Kadhi Recipe | Kadhi Pakora

Kadhi or kadhi pakoda is an easy-to-make North Indian recipe which is prepared using curd, besan (Gramflour) and spices. The curry has fried delicious besan pakoris dipped in sour curd which makes it an exotic and delectable main dish recipe. It is packed with so many flavors and will entice your taste buds in every bite. In India there are several varieties of kadhi recipe related to their region like Punjabi kadhi, Rajasthani kadhi, Maharashtrian Kadhi, Sindhi kadhi and Guajarati kadhi. This is no onion no garlic recipe.

Kadhi can be prepared plain or with pakori. Kadhi chawal is very popular in India. To get the best taste, pakori should dipped and cooked in kadhi for some time so that it soaks up some gravy and flavors.  The curd should be sour to give sourness. This kadhi should be thick and creamy with soft pakori in it. Do not forget to whisk the curd properly.

Kadhi tastes best when it is paired with rice or hot chapattis and can be relished over lunch or dinner.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For Pakori-

1 cup besan (gram flour)
A small pinch heeng (Asafoetida)
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
salt as required
oil for frying

For Kadhi –

2.5 cup sour curd
½ cup gram flour
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
A small pinch heeng
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Instructions:

For pakori –

Taka a bowl, add besan, heeng, salt, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well. Now add water in parts and begin to mix to remove all lumps in the besan. Make a thick dropping consistency.

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan for frying pakori on medium flame.
Beat the besan mixture in one direction using your finger or with the help of beater until it becomes light and fluffy.
Now drop teaspoon full of the mixture in hot oil using your fingers. Reduce heat to medium and deep fry the pakoris.

Stir continuously till they turn golden brown from all sides. When the pakoris fluff up, and become golden-brown, drain out them and keep aside.

For kadhi –

Take a bowl, add curd and whisk well. Add besan and water into curd. Mix properly to remove all lumps and make a smooth mixture.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, heeng and curry leaves.

When they splutters, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
Pour the beaten mixture and cook it on medium flame.

Keep stirring continuously so that besan does not stick to the bottom. It will take time to cook around 14 to 16 minutes.
After the kadhi has come to a boil, then lower the flame and further cook kadhi for more 6 to 7 minutes or until raw smell goes away. The kadhi will thicken. If mixture becomes very thick, add 1/2 cup more water and cook more for 3-4 minutes. It should have pouring consistency.
Now add pakoris and salt and stir.

Cook for 5 minutes and let the pakoris be soaked in kadhi. Switch of the flame.
You can temper this kadhi. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a tempering pan and add 1 tsp. red chilli powder or 3-4 dry red chillies. Immediately pour it over kadhi. You can garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve it hot with rice or roti.

Tips:

• Curd should be sour otherwise it will not give good taste and will not be sour.
• Do not deep fry pakori on high flame otherwise they may not cook properly from inside. Deep-fry them on medium to low flame.
• You can add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
• You can add a small pinch of baking soda in pakori batter to make it softer.
• Make sure the consistency of kadhi should not be too thick or thin. If kadhi is thick, you can add ½ cup water and if too watery, add 1 tbsp. besan in ½ cup water, mix well and add into kadhi. Check the consistency as you prefer.