Casual North Indian Style Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda

Life Style: The classic, quintessential comfort food of North India is Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda. Here is my mother’s authentic recipe in which crunchy pakodas (onion-gram flour fritters) are dipped in spicy and thick curd soup (kadhi), topped with aromatic tadka.

You can enjoy kadhi even without pakodas. Some people like to add boondi in kadhi. And some add boiled potato pieces to make aloo kadhi.

Material

For the curd mixture

2 cups curd at room temperature

¼ cup packed gram flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (turmeric powder)

4 cups water

to make curry

2 tbsp ghee or oil

Skip ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida for gluten free

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana) optional

10-12 curry leaves

Cut 2 green chillies lengthwise and halve them

1 teaspoon grated ginger

3 cloves minced garlic (optional)

½ cup chopped onion

2 teaspoon coriander powder

coriander to garnish

for pakodas

½ cup gram flour

1 green chilli finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (turmeric powder)

½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

½ tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)

3 tbsp water or more as required

1 cup chopped or chopped onion

oil for frying

for tadka

1 tbsp ghee

½ tsp cumin

2 dried red chillies

½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

Method

For the curd mixture

– Add curd, gram flour, salt and turmeric in a large bowl. Beat it well.

Then add water and keep stirring so that no lumps remain.

to make curry

– Heat a large pot on medium-high flame. Add ghee or oil. If possible use mustard oil, it gives real taste to the kadhi. Keep in mind that heat the mustard oil until smoke comes out.

– Add asafoetida, cumin, mustard, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves. Let them explode.

– Add green chilli, ginger, garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

– Put ghee in a vessel and let it heat on medium-high flame. Then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, dry whole chillies and curry leaves. Fry them for a minute. Make sure not to burn.

– Add green chillies, ginger and garlic (if using). Fry for 30 seconds.

– Add onion and fry for a minute. Then add coriander powder to it and mix.

– Pour the prepared curd mixture into the vessel while stirring continuously.

– Keep stirring until it boils. (We do not want the curry to curdle)

– Once boiling, put on low flame and cook on low flame for about 20-25 minutes.

for pakodas

– Mix all the ingredients of pakoda except onion and oil in a bowl. If you have time, keep this mixture for about 15 minutes.

– This helps in making soft pakodas. If not, add a pinch of baking soda to the gram flour solution. This will be a thick batter, not a thin batter.

-Add onion and mix well. When you are ready to fry the pakodas, you will need to add onion to the batter.

– In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 300°F. When the oil becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium.

– Use a small scoop (or your fingers if you are comfortable) and drop the pakoras into the oil. Cook the pakodas until golden brown, several minutes per side.

– Turn the pakodas so that they cook evenly on the other side. Remove the pakodas to a paper towel-lined plate or bowl.

– The curry should be cooked well by now. If the curry has become too thick, you can add more water to it if you wish.

– Put the pakodas in the curry and let it cook on low flame.

making tadka

– Put ghee in a small pan and heat it on medium flame. Add cumin and whole dry red chilli. When the seeds start crackling, remove the pan from the flame.

– Add Kashmiri red chilli powder and stir vigorously. – Now immediately pour the tadka on the curry. (Do not delay, otherwise red chilli powder may burn)

– Stir quickly. Garnish with coriander and enjoy Kadhi Pakoda with rice!