Kadhi Pakora

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

A tangy North Indian curry of yogurt and gram flour simmered until silky, finished with deep-fried onion pakoras and a sizzling tempering of cumin, fenugreek and dried red chilli. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Prep

25 min

Cook

60 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups) plain yogurt (dahi), sour or well-set yogurt gives the best tang
• •60 g (½ cup) gram (chickpea) flour (besan), divided: 40 g for kadhi, 20 g for pakoras
• •1000 ml (4 cups) water, for thinning the kadhi
• •1 tsp turmeric powder
• •1 tsp salt, or to taste
• •150 g (1 medium) onion, finely sliced, for pakoras
• •40 g (⅓ cup) gram (chickpea) flour (besan), for pakora batter
• •1 tsp cumin seeds
• •fenugreek seeds (methi), ½
• •2 dried red chillies, whole
• •1 pinch asafoetida (hing), optional but traditional
• •3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil, ghee is traditional for tempering
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) neutral oil, for deep-frying pakoras
• •10 g (2 tbsp) fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish

Steps

1. 1 Whisk the yogurt with 40 g (⅓ cup) gram flour, turmeric and salt until completely smooth with no lumps.
2. 2 Gradually whisk in the water to make a thin, buttermilk-like liquid. Set aside.
3. 3 Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies and asafoetida; fry for 30 seconds until the cumin darkens and the chillies puff up (do not burn the fenugreek or it will turn bitter).
4. 4 Pour in the yogurt mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly for the first 5 minutes to prevent curdling.
5. 5 Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kadhi has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and the raw flour taste is gone. It will reduce by about one third.
6. 6 Meanwhile, make the pakoras: combine the sliced onion, 40 g (⅓ cup) gram flour, a pinch of salt and 2–3 tablespoons water to form a thick, sticky batter that just holds the onions together. Do not add too much water.
7. 7 Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 170°C (340°F). Drop teaspoonfuls of batter into the oil and fry in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden brown and crisp on the outside. Drain on kitchen paper.
8. 8 When the kadhi is ready, add the pakoras to the pot and simmer gently for 5 minutes so they soften slightly while staying chewy. Do not boil hard or they will break apart.
9. 9 Make the tempering: heat the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee in a small pan until shimmering, add a pinch of asafoetida if using, then pour the hot ghee over the kadhi. It should sizzle on contact.
10. 10 Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with coriander and serve hot with steamed basmati rice. Kadhi thickens as it stands; loosen with a splash of hot water if needed.