PUNJABI KADHI PAKODA

Kadhi Pakoda, also called Pakoda Kadhi, is a traditional North Indian dish, especially popular in Punjabi households. This comforting curry is prepared with a tangy curd and gram flour (besan) base, slow-cooked with aromatic spices until it turns creamy and flavorful. Deep-fried onion or mixed vegetable pakodas are then added, making the kadhi wholesome and satisfying. Its golden yellow hue, the balance of tangy and spicy notes, and the soft pakodas soaking in the kadhi make it a soul-warming dish often paired with steamed rice or jeera rice. Apart from being delicious, kadhi is also light on the stomach, aids digestion due to yogurt, and provides plant-based protein from gram flour.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3 persons

Ingredients
For Kadhi:

1 cup curd (preferably sour)

3 tbsp gram flour (besan)

3 cups water

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)

1 dry red chilli

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp green chilli paste

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

For Pakodas:

1 cup gram flour (besan)

2 tbsp rice flour

1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

1 tsp coarsely ground coriander seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp green chilli paste

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Oil for deep frying

For Tempering:

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder

A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1 sprig curry leaves

Method
Prepare the Kadhi: Whisk curd with gram flour until smooth. Add water, turmeric, cumin powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Whisk again to combine.

Heat oil in a pan, add dry red chilli, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds. Once they splutter, add sliced onion, green chilli paste, and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté until golden brown.

Pour in the whisked curd-besan mixture, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kadhi thickens and the raw taste disappears.

Prepare the Pakodas: In a mixing bowl, combine all pakoda ingredients. Add water gradually to make a thick batter.

Heat oil in a kadhai, drop small portions of batter, and deep-fry pakodas until golden and crisp. Drain on a tissue-lined plate.

Add the pakodas to the simmering kadhi. Let them soak and cook for a few minutes.

Tempering: Heat ghee in a small pan, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, and red chilli powder. Pour this tempering over the kadhi.

Serve hot with steamed rice or jeera rice.