Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Punjabi kadhi pakora is yogurt based curry. It is a specialty of northern Indian province “Punjab”. It has fried dumplings (pakoras) made up of gram flour. Punjabi kadhi pakora is a great combination with fragrant basmati rice.

Ingredients

For Pakora:

Besan (gram flour) ? 1 cup
Onions  - 1/2 cup chopped
Cumin seeds ? 1 tsp
Green chili ? 1 finely chopped
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder ? 1 tsp
Baking soda ? 1 pinch
water (to make a smooth batter)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For Kadhi:

Besan (gram flour)  - 3/4 cup
Yogurt ? 2 cups (sour is better)
Onion ? 1 sliced
Ginger paste ? 2 tsp
Garlic  - 2 tsp minced
Green chilies ? 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves ? 8
Cumin seeds (jira)  - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds (rai) – 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (methi dana) ? 1 tsp
Fennel seeds (saunf) ? 1 tsp
Asafetida powder ? 1 pinch
Turmeric powder ? 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Cooking oil ? 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder ? 1 tsp for garnish
Fresh cilantro ? 1 tbsp finely chopped for garnish

Method:

To make Pakora:

In a bowl take besan; add onions and all the other ingredients.
Add water to make smooth batter. Mix well.
In a pan, heat oil for frying at medium high heat.
Take batter, one spoon at a time, putting it in hot oil to make pakoras.
Turn them over once. Deep fry till it becomes golden and crispy.
Drain them on kitchen towel. Keep aside.

To make Kadhi:

In a large bowl, add yogurt and besan. Mix well. Now add 4 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder. Blend well. It should have any lumps
In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin, mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds.
When it crackles, add asafetida powder and sliced onions. Sauté till it becomes translucent. Now add ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves.
Sauté for 2-3 more minutes.
Add yogurt and besan mix to the pan. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir it once.
Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in between a few times.
Add already prepared pakoras to kadhi. Mix once gently.
Kadhi pakora is ready to be served.

Garnish and serving suggestions:

Garnish kadhi pakora with freshly chopped cilantro and garam masala powder. Enjoy with fragrant basmati rice.