Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Kadhi Pakora
A comforting Punjabi dish featuring crispy onion-gram flour fritters (Pakoras) submerged in a tangy, thick, slow-cooked yogurt curry (Kadhi).
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- sour yogurt (curd)
- gram flour (besan)
- onions
- ginger
- green chilies
- mustard seeds
- fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- dry red chilies
- turmeric
- ghee
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Large deep pot
- Deep wok (kadai)
Instructions
- 1
Mix Kadhi Base
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk sour yogurt and gram flour (besan) together until completely smooth and lump-free.
- 2
Dilute Base
Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and 4-5 cups of water to the yogurt mixture. Whisk well.
- 3
Temper Spices
In a large, deep pot, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and a pinch of hing.
- 4
Cook Kadhi
Pour the diluted yogurt mixture into the pot. Stir continuously on medium-high heat until it comes to a full boil (crucial to prevent curdling).
- 5
Simmer
Once boiling, lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. It will thicken and develop flavor.
- 6
Prepare Pakora Batter
While the kadhi simmers, mix gram flour (besan), sliced onions, chopped green chilies, ajwain, salt, and a little water to form a thick, sticky fritter batter.
- 7
Heat Frying Oil
Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.
- 8
Fry Pakoras
Drop small spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Fry on medium heat until golden brown and crispy.
- 9
Drain Pakoras
Remove the pakoras and drain them on paper towels.
- 10
Soak Pakoras
Add salt to the simmering Kadhi (never add salt at the beginning). Drop the fried pakoras into the hot kadhi.
- 11
Second Tempering (Tadka)
In a small pan, heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and Kashmiri chili powder (for color).
- 12
Finish and Serve
Immediately pour this sizzling red tadka over the Kadhi. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.
Cooking Tips
- The yogurt must be slightly sour. If it's sweet, the Kadhi will taste bland.
- Stirring continuously until the first boil is mandatory. If you stop, the besan will sink and the yogurt will separate into water.
Variations
- Gujarati Kadhi: A thinner, sweeter version made with buttermilk and jaggery, without pakoras.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Kadhi Chawal (Kadhi with rice) is widely considered the ultimate Indian comfort meal.
Nutrition Estimate
380 calories · 12g protein · 30g carbs · 24g fat · 5g fiber per serving
